


Source of light

by rawwrrr (ladyYellow)



Series: Honey AU [11]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Adoption, Anxiety Attacks, Bullying, Byun Baekhyun is a Brat, Cats, Child Byun Baekhyun, Child Huang Zi Tao | Z.Tao, Child Park Chanyeol, Colors, Cousins, Domestic Fluff, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, House Cleaning, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Minor Kim Jongdae | Chen/Oh Sehun, Minor Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Wu Yi Fan | Kris, Orphanage, Parenthood, Past Child Abuse, Protective Lu Han, Randomness, Siblings, Slice of Life, Sports, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-05-31 00:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19414774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyYellow/pseuds/rawwrrr
Summary: “This is Baekhyun” he speaks to Zitao and then he whispers to Baekhyun “Do you want to meet my nephews?” Baekhyun shakes his head fervently “They’re just like you and me, they have powers too” Baekhyun gasps, then cries louder. “They won’t hurt you, I promise. All of us here are like you. No one is going to hurt you”





	1. [ r e f r a c t i o n ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Change in direction of a wave passing from one medium to another or from a gradual change in the medium._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone~  
> Once again, I'm here. Bringing you a new chapter for this AU. This time, we're talking about Baekhyun (and XiuHan, obviously).  
> This first one, as you know, it's the mandatory introduction to the family drama. How Baekhyun gets to meet his new parents and his new cousins (though he doesn't know it yet).  
> This took me a little longer because I've been thinking a lot about 'light' power. What are the implications of having light power? What can Baek _actually_ control with it? Stick around and you'll be able to discover it with me~
> 
> Ok, ok.  
> My mind is wandering too much (it's too late here, right now).  
> Soooo... I'll save my comments for the end.  
> Please enjoy.

It’s almost seven at night. Jongin and Kyungsoo are walking around the market looking for ingredients for their meals of the week. They always shop at noon because of their works (Jongin arrives earlier than Kyungsoo most of the days), and today it’s one of those rare days that Kyungsoo can leave the restaurant early. They’ve been at the market for around an hour. Kyungsoo takes his sweet time in choosing the best quality and prices (it’s not for anything that he is one of the best chefs in Korea) while Jongin just carries the bags, following him like a lost puppy.

“Should I take strawberries or mangoes for the salad?” Kyungsoo gave up trying to include Jongin in the decisions, because there’s no point in it since Jongin is like a trash bin (he eats anything, not minding the flavor of it), so the elder usually speaks to himself.

“Whatever you choose it’s fine, hyung” Kyungsoo sighs.

“Yeah, I know that” 

Kyungsoo and Jongin had been living together for months already, but none of Jongin’s brothers really know anything about it (though more than one of them must be suspecting _something_ is going on at this point). Kyungsoo gets it, Jongin’s family is nosy as hell. But he likes them, especially Jongdae.

Fifteen minutes later, they stumble with a little kid running alone on the street. Jongin and the boy fall to the floor. The boy doesn’t cry because of the fall, even when he has a nasty wound on his knee, however he looks completely terrified of having crossing paths with someone. Jongin thinks he’s around his nephew Chanyeol’s age.

“Hey little boy, are you lost? Can’t you find your parents?” Jongin speaks to him calmly, standing up and offering his hand to help the kid. The little boy tries to stand up alone, scared. But Kyungsoo holds him firmly.

“Hey, hey boy. Where are you going?”

“They are going to catch me...” the kid whispers, and he looks around, nervous. “Don’t let them catch me...”

“Who?” Kyungsoo frowns “Is someone following you, baby boy? Where are your parents?”

“I don’t have. I escaped, they’re bad people. They hurt everyone” Jongin stares at the kid frowning too. Somehow he has this feeling of dejavu that this has happened already with some other members of his family (not about escaping, but the thing with the hurting), what makes him think in a possibility.

“Do you have a power?” he whispers and the boy looks scandalized.

“Don’t say that aloud, idiot!” Kyungsoo is scandalized too for the bad language of the kid, but he doesn’t say anything “They will punish me! No, no!”

“Jongin” Kyungsoo adds in a soft voice “We have to take him to a safe place. I know an orphanage-”

“Ok, ok” Jongin sighs, giving up. He takes the kid in his arms like he does with Zitao. This kids feels much more skinny than any of his nephews “What’s your name, baby?”

“Baek-” the kid whispers in a small voice.

“Just Baek?” Jongin is intrigued.

“Baekhyun” he lowers his voice even more.

Suddenly, they hear the noise of people running in the market. People is being pushed and they hear yells and screams. Baekhyun is now shivering between Jongin’s arms.

“There he is! Go get him!” he hides his face in Jongin’s shoulder.

“Ok, let’s get you to a safe place” Kyungsoo barely grabs their bags before touching Jongin in time to teleport to the orphanage, but when he opens his eyes after the normal dizziness that traveling by teleportation brings, he realizes they’re not in the orphanage (that he didn’t mention where it was, by the way).

"Kim, you idiot! I told you to teleport us to the orphanage" Jongin and Kyungsoo are into Minseok’s bedroom, apparently, carrying a crying ~~bordering hysterical~~ kid.

"No, are you insane?!" Han looks at the scene with a genuinely curious expression. "He said he escaped from there! How am I supposed to bring him back there?!" Minseok notices they’re being ignored. He coughs, but he doesn’t get the attention he wants, so he raises his voice.

"What in the name of heaven is happening here, Jongin?!" Minseok is using his authoritative voice, Kyungsoo looks impatiently at Jongin. _How does Jongin dare to imagine Baekhyun escaped from an orphanage?_ Oh well, it could have been that Baekhyun mentioned that he doesn’t have parents.

"Oh, right. Hyung, this is Baekhyun~" Minseok and Han stare at each other.

“Ok, I don’t mean to be rude... But why is he here?” Baekhyun can’t stop crying, hiding his face in Jongin’s chest.

“Someone was chasing him, hyung. Soo told me to bring him to an orphanage but-”

“Soo?” Han questions, intrigued. This is the first time he hears Jongin referring to Kyungsoo this informally.

“Listen, Minseok-ssi. I’m sorry to intrude into your house. This dumb never listens to me. We will be leaving now, and we will take Baekhyun with us” Minseok looks at the things in their room. They were presumably shopping at the market, and it raises his suspicions about these two, but this is none of his concern right now.

“There’s no need to be this formal, Kyungsoo-yah” Han adds, and Minseok looks at his husband, skeptical. _What is this idiot doing now?_ “You can stay for dinner, while Baekhyun feels better. We can take you to your flat in our car later-”

“That won’t be necessary, hyung!” Jongin replies quickly, nervous. Minseok cocks an eyebrow.

“Don’t be an ass, Jongin. The kid doesn’t look in condition for teleporting once again” Jongin looks at Kyungsoo, and Kyungsoo shrugs his shoulders. Jongin knows he can’t say no to his hyung, and if Kyungsoo doesn’t argue, there's really nothing that can’t be done.

Han is the first one to leave the bedroom, followed by Kyungsoo and then by Jongin with Baekhyun in his arms. Minseok closes the door after everyone leaves.

“Who is him, Mr. Lu?” Jongin recognises the voice from Zitao.

“It’s a friend from Nini”

“Uncle Nini, who is him?” Jongin kneels to greet his nephew, only to find that his other two nephews are there too. Then he looks at Minseok and the dark circles under his eyes and then at Han. His comfortable attire gives him in (grey sweatpants, a white tee and a mint sport jacket, a little bit stained with some ingredients from the dinner), he has been taking care of the kids all by himself. Jongin sighs. _Another migraine, then._

“This is Baekhyun” he introduces him to Zitao and then he whispers to Baekhyun “Do you want to meet my nephews?” Baekhyun shakes his head fervently “They’re just like you and me, they have powers too” Baekhyun gasps, then cries louder and that scares Zitao, who gives a step back. Chanyeol hugs his brother protectively. “They won’t hurt you, I promise. All of us here are like you. No one is going to hurt you” Baekhyun lets go of Jongin.

Han looks at the scene apprehensively, suddenly in need to protect Baekhyun with all his being.

It takes some minutes for Baekhyun to gain some composure to turn around and greet the other kids. And when he does, something moves inside Minseok. Baekhyun’s eyes are all red, as well as his nose, but he looks beautiful in his own special way. His soft brown hair is an absolute mess, entangled and probably hasn’t been washed properly in weeks. His clothes look old and too big in him (they would look big even in Chanyeol and the kid is tall for someone of his age). His skin is pale, and he looks skinny.

“Hi” he says in a very soft voice. Minseok looks at Han to see if his husband is thinking the same, but Han isn’t looking at him. He can’t stop staring at Baekhyun, frowning. “I’m Baek-”

Zitao, Chanyeol and Yixing look at Baekhyun curious. Zitao looks a bit scared, but Chanyeol is hugging him when he speaks.

“Hi, Baek. I’m Chanyeol” he comes closer and offers his hand to the new kid, who looks at it, worried.

“Are you sick?” Chanyeol frowns and he hugs Zitao tighter. The younger looks at his brother, feeling his warm skin and feeling safe. “You look hot”

“Hot?” Chanyeol doesn’t understand. Baekhyun shakes his head, resting it importance to the fact and grabs Chaneyol’s hand. He smiles and Chanyeol smiles too, Baekhyun thinks Chanyeol has a beautiful smile. Minseok doesn’t fight the smile on his face when Han smiles too.

“This is my brother, Zitao” Chanyeol lets go of the younger so he can greet the new kid by himself.

Before he talks to Baekhyun, Zitao turns to Chanyeol and whispers “Hyung, is it polite to ask what power does he have?” Chanyeol thinks of it, _he isn’t sure._ He seeks for reassurance in his uncles. Minseok and Kyungsoo are against the idea, but Han and Jongin encourages them with a small nod.

“Hi, are you my hyung?” Zitao asks instead and Chanyeol smiles wider, he feels proud because Zitao is learning to be respectful.

“I don’t know. How old are you?” Zitao looks at Chanyeol and Chanyeol nods. _You know this._

“Four”

“Oh- I’m your hyung, then. I’m five” Zitao giggles and hugs Baekhyun, not minding that he looks dirty and skinny. Not too long ago he looked the same and his papa hug him anyway, and he felt right. In a way, he feels like Baekhyun needs a hug. Baekhyun cries from relief, Yixing senses it. “I’m sorry, I forgot to ask for your age-”

“I’m five, too” Chanyeol smiles and Baekhyun nods. _They will be really good friends._ “My cousin Yixing is six”

“Hello. Wu-Kim Yixing”

“Baekhyun” the new kid repeats himself, more relaxed. Han and Minseok feel at ease now. Jongin watches the exchange of words, still kneeling on the floor. “I don’t have any last name” the boy looks sad. Yixing feels bad for making the younger sad and he tries to use his power to make him relax, but Minseok stops him.

“Don’t you even dare, young man” Yixing opens his eyes widely “You know what happens when you use your powers, and this isn’t a physical pain. Your dad will kill me if he knows I allowed you to cure someone-”

“Can you cure?!” Baekhyun raises his voice “Can you please cure Chanyeol, hyung?” he asks Yixing. Everyone looks at Baekhyun frowning.

“I can’t sense something wrong with him” Baekhyun shakes his head.

“He’s hot, hyung! Once a kid was this hot and nobody treated him and he died! Please, cure him!” Baekhyun is crying, shaking again and before Jongin can hug him, Minseok is by Baekhyun’s side, using his cold fingers to soothe him.

“Did I do something wrong, uncle?” Chanyeol asks worried that he might have triggered something in Baekhyun, like he did with Zitao and Yixing. Jongin takes Chanyeol away from Baekhyun and reassures him he did nothing wrong.

“Baek, sweetheart. Nothing is wrong with Yeollie. Nini, can you bring Yeol with us, please?” Jongin brings Chanyeol to them, Baekhyun is crying again and Chanyeol is about to cry too, and Jongin wants to take away his nephew from the stress, but Minseok tells them it’s ok “Now, Yeol. Can you show us your power?” Jongin and Chanyeol look at Minseok, confused “It’s ok, baby. If it gets out of control, me and your uncles are here” Chanyeol nods “Baek, look at this, you will like it”

Han and Kyungsoo watch them holding each a kid (Han has Zitao and Kyungsoo has Yixing). They all look intrigued at how Chanyeol’s eyes change into that well-known liquid red when he creates a small flame in his hand. Zitao learnt it was dangerous to touch it, but it is a pretty nice spectacle to watch from a safe distance.

“Hyung, can you do the trick when it looks like fireflies?” Chanyeol nods, flicking his wrist softly. He does it carefully to not burn his uncle and not to scare Baekhyun when the flame changes its shape. It lasts a few seconds before it disappears.

“Do you- do you control fire?” Baekhyun asks, he isn’t crying anymore, the smile Minseok and Han enjoyed is back.

“I do”

“Do you see? There’s no need to be worried for him, his temperature is normally this high” Baekhyun’s stomach growls. Minseok giggles “Hungry?” the kid nods “Let’s eat what Han prepared, would you like it?” he smiles “I hope you like Chinese food, my husband is Chinese and he doesn’t know that much about Korean recipes...”

“You will like it, hyung! Chinese food is the best!” Zitao says already running to the dining room.

“Peach! Don’t run!” Chanyeol runs behind his brother.

“Kids, don’t run in the house!” Jongin runs behind them too, watching them. “We need to help your uncles with the table, you know that!”

“These kids...” Kyungsoo sighs, leaving to the kitchen.

Han and Minseok stay behind. Han looks at his husband and by his look, he knows exactly what the elder is thinking.

“Minnie-”

“I don’t know, Han” Han sighs, Minseok still isn’t sure about the kids, he sees “But- It’s just- God only knows what they had done to him in the orphanage...”

“He looked really scared, hyung”

“I know”

“Do you think Jongin and Kyungsoo will adopt him?” Han sounds bittersweet and Minseok gives him a sad smile.

“So, I wasn’t the only one noticing it?” Han shakes his head.

“I guess the four of us need to talk about Baekhyun after the kids go to sleep”

“Are you planning on letting Baekhyun sleep here tonight?”

“Well, I think we’re more prepared to have a kid sleeping with us tonight than my dumb young brother, anyway” Han nods and Minseok gives him _that_ look. Han pecks his lips. “Let’s go or the dinner will get cold”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok... So.  
> As per usual, I already have a schedule of what I want to write and how many chapters I want to write for this story, but I'm not really sure if I'll stick to it.  
> Please, be patient with me, since ~~as I always tell you~~ I'm working on different projects now (both for hobby and for work).
> 
> Thank you so much for your love and support to this story!  
> Until then... Stay safe ;)
> 
> Read you soon <3


	2. [ e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation and their respective wavelengths and photon energies_

_Baekhyun had been living in different foster homes._

_At first, they fell in love with his cute appearance and they treated him as the perfect kid. But then, without an explanation, they forced him to sleep in the basement (if he was lucky) or any other dark room._

_"No, I don't like black. It's too violet, I don't like it" the families who adopted him didn't understand what he was talking about. Black was black, and violet was violet._

_Baekhyun was very good with colors since forever. He could identify the difference between purple and violet with just a quick scan of his eyes, even if the room was dark. He could also see temperatures, he didn't know why, but something cold looked violet and something hot looked red. The warmer the thing, the deeper the red and viceversa._

_But the beautiful kid was not only good with colors, but with all the light phenomena. And because of that, they considered him as some kind of demon (after all, glowing skin and glowing eyes mustn't be from this world, right?)._

_"Stop! We're going to take you to an orphanage! Stop- Baekhyun! Stop glowing!" Baekhyun cried when he was taken back again, because he was truthfully scared. He couldn't stop. And the last family told the orphanage that he was 'special' and they didn't accepted him, so he was left on the streets to wander._

_Baekhyun tried to behave so at least he could have a place to sleep._

_"Please, please! Don't tell them I'm special! Please, please!" this family was merciful with him. This family didn't tell the orphanage about Baekhyun's special features in order to get rid of him. Baekhyun had a place to sleep._

_Later he would regret it, he would have been better on the streets._

Minseok and Han already have a room with two beds prepared for their nephews, knowing that Chanyeol and Zitao usually sleep together, and Yixing likes to share a bedroom with their cousins.

Minseok usually sings them a lullaby, but given that he is still sore from the migraine, Han is the one that puts them to sleep (Yixing and Zitao are always happy to listen to Mr. Lu singing them to sleep, because he sings them a nana from their country, one that sounds familiar to the three of them).

Han doesn’t know where Baekhyun is going to sleep, though. Unsurprisingly, his nephews are the one that convince him not to prepare a spare bed from the new kid, since they can simply share the other one. Han agrees with the good nature of their act, and simply nods.

“How are you going to sleep, babies?”

“Baekhyunnie can choose where he wants to sleep, Mr. Lu” Yixing offers. Zitao and Chanyeol nod, agreeing with his eldest cousin. Han nods once again, feeling his heart warming at how quickly the others are calling Baekhyun cute names.

“Where do you want to sleep, hyung?” Zitao asks in a soft voice.

“Is- Is it ok if I sleep with Channie?” Chanyeol opens his eyes widely.

“With me?” Baekhyun nods, ashamed. Chanyeol is completely red and he looks at his younger brother. He was supposed to sleep with Zitao, but Zitao doesn’t seem to mind, because he smiles.

 _“I can sleep with Xing-ge”_ he says in Mandarin. Chanyeol thinks is rude because Baekyun probably wouldn’t understand Chinese, but he will talk about this with Zitao later. He knows he does this because Zitao doesn’t want Baekhyun to feel uncomfortable.

“It’s ok, Baekkie. I’ll sleep with you” Chanyeol confirms.

With this sorted out, Han kisses the four of them goodnight in their foreheads and he turns off the lights. Zitao is the one who begs him to sign a nana for them to sleep (Han can’t resist the kids anyway), and the eldest complies.

The last one in falling asleep is Baekhyun.

“I don’t have to go back with them, right?” Han doesn’t know who is Baekhyun talking about, but he shakes his head.

“You don’t. Sleep tight, Baek”

_Why was he there again? Baekhyun stared at the empty room, the only source of light came from his own skin. He cried and cried. He was cold, and he couldn't stop shivering._

_He spotted a red object in the cold room. He wasn't alone._

_"Hello?"_

_"H-help... I'm cold" Baekhyun heard the voice of other boy and he recognized him immediately. A small kid called Jeongguk who controlled metal, his temperature wasn't usually this high. "I'm s-scared, it's too dark..."_

_Baekhyun used his ability with the colors to scan Jeongguk's body quickly. Just red. Then he stared at the wall, trying to think of what to do._

_"Your skin is so pretty..." Jeongguk mumbled. Baekhyun focused a little bit more and he could recognise the silhouettes of two people walking at the other side of the room. "I like your power..." Jeongguk was shaking, Baekhyun didn't know what to do._

_"Help! Help! He's too red! Please! Someone help us!"_

_"Tell him to use his powers to save both of you, freak" Baekhyun cried too much. Jeongguk shivered the whole night, and at some point his color changed from red to a deep violet. Baekhyun touched him only to realize that the three-years old boy wasn't moving anymore._

_He was terrified._

_"Help!" he shrieked. Someone came to see him and opened the door. He flashed a violet light and the man went blind. Baekhyun blacked out after that._

_He woke up blindfolded in the same dark room._

_"Hello?" there wasn't any answer. Baekhyun couldn't help the tears._

Han leaves the bedroom and heads to the kitchen to prepare some tea (as a Chinese man, Han had always found relief in preparing and drinking tea). His husband, Minseok, is talking with brother-in-law Jongin and his unconfirmed boyfriend (Han bet his powers that these two are already a thing).

“What are you planning to do with Baekhyun, Jongin?” Minseok’s question is straightforward. Jongin doesn’t know if he is referring only to himself or Kyungsoo is included in the question too, though. But he remains silent, almost afraid to answer his brother. “Jongin-” Minseok tries not to raise his voice, but Jongin can tell he is anxious, since his eyes’ color is fluctuating between blue and brown every few seconds.

“I-” Jongin is getting nervous too. He seriously wants Kyungsoo to hold him and tell him what to do, so he seeks for his comfort, even if it’s with his eyes, but Kyungsoo isn't looking at him “I didn’t think that further into the future, hyung”

“You didn’t think that further...” Minseok sounds somewhat relieved. Han gets in the living room in that moment, using his telekinetic power to bring a tray with four steaming mugs with oolong tea. “You can’t take Baekhyun lightly, Jongin. Someone can accuse you from kidnapping-”

“I didn’t kidnap anyone, hyung!” Han gives each one a cup of tea. He takes a seat and sips it slowly, as if he were completely ignoring the whole situation. “We saved him!”

“Jongin-” Kyungsoo speaks, in a very deep voice.

“From what, exactly?!” Minseok asks, raising his voice too.

"Guys, calm down. The kids are sleeping now" Han is barely paying attention to what is evolving in his living room as he sips more tea. He is just mediating that his husband doesn’t freeze his guests. Han is more focused on hearing if the kids are still asleep, specially Baekhyun since he was the one who had more troubles to fall asleep.

"What should we do with Baekhyun, then?" Jongin asks hesitantly.

"We?!" the temperature of the room decreases as Minseok raises his voice.

"The four of us, I mean-"

"Honey, calm down. Drink some tea~" Kyungsoo inspects Han. Minseok's husband is idly sipping tea while his eyes wander around the house with a dreamy expression. _Maybe Han would like to adopt Baekhyun?_

"Don't you dare to tell me to calm down! How can you be so calm, Han?! What if the police-"

"Minnie, baby. If the police was looking for Baekhyun, we must have heard the news on the radio. But I'm having the impression that the ones searching for him just wanted to get rid of him, since he's afraid of them" he sips more tea, and Jongin nods frantically.

"We can't let him go back to where he was, hyung!" Minseok takes his hand to his head, a migraine forming once again "I guess I can adopt him-"

"No, no, no. This is an absolute no, young man. You know the laws, it will take us ages to get only you to adopt Baekhyun. This is completely discarded" Minseok sees Kyungsoo sighing in relief. They're still so young to form a family... (Minseok completely foregoes that Jongdae's husband is the same age as Nini and they already have two kids, but it's his younger brother he's talking about).

"Well, do you think Junmyeon-hyung would like to adopt a brother for XingXing?" the three other people in the room shake their heads.

"He has a lot in his mind with just Yixing, Jongin-ah" Han adds before he sips more tea and goes silent again. Minseok sighs, hating his husband's antics once again.

Jongin opens his mouth but Kyungsoo speaks first.

"Before you even think of that, Jongdae is out of discussion. He can barely manage himself with Zitao and Chanyeol. He'd gladly take care of another kid, we know that, but it's too much. He will collapse on the floor someday at this rate-"

"Then, what do we do?"

"What do we do?!" Minseok and Kyungsoo ask at the same time with different intonations (Minseok sounds angry, Kyungsoo sounds worried).

"Hyungs- slow down. I mean- The four of us. What can we do with Baekhyun-ah?" Jongin looks at them. Kyungsoo's eyes are starting to glow in emerald green, contrasting with Minseok's blue eyes.

"I'm going to tell you what we're going to do. We-!" Minseok stops in the middle of his sentence because Han leaves his cup of tea on the table and slowly he walks towards the bedroom where the kids are sleeping. His eyes shine in silver.

"Mr. Lu?" Chanyeol's voice sounds tired and Han automatically runs to help him with Baekhyun (lifting him in his arms). "He's been crying, and I don't know what-"

"Shhh, it's ok baby" Han lulls him, singing the same Chinese nana he sang for his nephews. "It's ok baby, go back to sleep, you're not alone"

"I think his power is light, Mr. Lu"

"Hmm?" the other adults listen to the conversation with interest. "Why do you think that, Yeollie?"

"He glows in the dark, Mr. Lu. He said Peach is too violet and I'm too red. I don't understand, but his eyes are like the rainbow" Chanyeol thinks for a moment "I like Baek's eyes"

"I'm sure you do, Yeol"

"Can I go to sleep now? I'm tired, Mr. Lu" Han nods, still rocking Baekhyun, but using his power.

"Do you want me to walk you back to the room?" Chanyeol shakes his head. 

"You're busy. Baekkie is safe now" Han nods. Chanyeol walks back to the room and Han brings Baekhyun yo the reunion, still ignoring all of them.

"I might not be right, hyung" Jongin starts "but I think your husband already adopted him" Kyungsoo nods in agreement.

_Baekhyun was sure that if he stayed, he was going to be killed at some point, like it happened to Jeongguk, and many others who didn't have a name before him. It didn't matter what kind of powers they had, they were all forced to behave as normal human beings or they were punished._

_Baekhyun's punishments always were about darkness (his 'caretakers' well-aware that he hated darkness). They were trying to extinguish the light coming from his whole being, Baekhyun didn't have control over it._

_He escaped. He took advantage of whatever he had with him in his small body to fight and he flashed an intense light to disorient everyone and escape. There was another girl who ran fast, and she escaped too._

_Baekhyun ran and ran, losing himself into the city. The caretakers ran after him, but Baekhyun prayed he wasn't trapped._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, really really sorry it took me so long to update.  
> I've been working non-stop (I'm still in zombie-mode), and I've been so tired and with so little of time... All my projects were on pause for the last two weeks.
> 
> Tbh, this is not exactly what I planned the chapter to be about.  
> But all I could manage to write how was the decision of the adoption taken.  
> Bare with me, please. I'll be explaining more in the next chapters.  
> Sounds good?
> 
> Until then, stay safe.  
> Read you soon ❤️


	3. [ d i f f r a c t i o n ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is defined as the bending of waves around the corners of an obstacle or through an aperture into the region of the geometrical shadow of the obstacle/aperture.

"We don't have a room for you, but you can sleep with us while we have it ready, how does that sound, Baek?" Baekhyun looks at Han with shining eyes and nods.

"Is that ok?" the elder nods, as well as absentmindedly does Minseok, barely paying attention to his life mate and whatever he is talking to the kid.

"Of course it's ok, Baek" Han smiles and that's all that matters to his husband.

Minseok surrendered after a short talk with Han. It was enough to understand that there was no way he couldn't stop him from falling in love with Baekhyun, as he couldn't help when he fell in love with him. And Minseok can't deal with breaking Han's heart once again, he has hurt him enough during these years together.

"-and I'm very hungry"

Minseok's mind is no longer in whatever is happening in their room, as he tries to remember if they know any good lawyer that could help them to legally adopt Baekhyun, but he knows beforehand this process will be hard. One can't just appear in a government office and tell the secretary that they want to adopt a random kid (it would look absolutely suspicious and they'd probably end up in jail).

"Min?" Minseok blinks.

"Hmm?"

"Does chicken for dinner sounds good?" Minseok smiles when he looks at Han and Baekhyun, they look really cute, wearing similar expressions.

"Of course" Han lifts Baekhyun from the floor and they laugh, Minseok is still worried about the adoption thing, but he guesses his family will help them with that.

Minseok watches from outside the shower when Han gives Baekhyun a proper bath. As innocent as it looks, this is a way they have to know if Baekhyun's power affects his body's temperature. Sadly, Minseok can just look from afar, since he can't stand warm water (disadvantages of controlling frost).

"Does it feel good?" Minseok questions and Baekhyun nods, giggling. Han keeps washing his hair as he absentmindedly hums the same nana he sang yesterday.

"I like it when you sing, sir" the way Baekhyun addresses him reminds the both of them that there's a trial in order to officially have Baek calling them parents. Minseok is faithful that the lawyer his brother-in-laws Yifan and Sehun recommended is good enough, though.

Since Han bathed Baekhyun, it's now Minseok's turn to dress him with new clean clothes that are his size. The eldest didn't participate in the process of buying them, since he still wasn't sure they were able to keep the boy, but Han didn't care and drove to the nearest mall to buy enough clothes for a month.

"Are these ok?" Minseok picks a pink tee and Baekhyun loves it. The dark jeans make a perfect match, and for once in his life, Baekhyun has clothes that fit him and are pretty enough.

"I love them, sir!" a painful sting settles in Minseok's heart, it seems like he's falling in love with Baekhyun too.

The lawyer Yifan and Sehun recommend is the wife of the lawyer conducting all the legal stuff in their company. Minseok knows him very well since he has had the opportunity to work with him once (that's a story for another time, though), and he's no one to judge, but at first he thought he was gay.

_"It's ok, it’s what everyone thinks of him" he remembers Seung told him the very first occasion they met to discuss what they were going to do with Baek._

_"Excuse me?" Minseok was at loss, but Han shook his head and smiled. "What?"_

_"She reads minds" Han answered as if was the most normal thing in the world._

_"You're the first one that guesses right at the first try, I'm usually very good hiding it" Han shrugged his shoulders and Minseok and Namjoon (the lawyer in Sehun and Yifan's workplace) seemed completely lost._

_"It takes a dog to discover a wolf, they said" Han commented casually and Seung understood what's happening. What neither of their husbands knew is that a particularity of the people who had mental powers was that they were able to identify themselves and recognise the kind of power each other had._

_"It's very convenient, you see~" she smirked._

_"I can tell" Han smirked too._

Han and Minseok are ok with her being their lawyer. Han and Minseok explained with detail what happened the week before, when Jongin and Kyungsoo brought him to their house when they were taking care of their nephews.

Seung knows they aren't lying, perks of his power. But she also knows what they're saying isn't enough reason for the judge to let them adopt Baekhyun, so he asks to speak to Jongin and Kyungsoo, and Baekhyun if possible.

It takes them almost another week to unravel the story completely. Seung had to visit the orphanage (Baekhyun told her where it is) and made an interrogation to the caretakers and staff about Baekhyun. Of course, most of her questions weren't answered and to her it seemed that they didn't give a fuck about the kid.

Baekhyun has to come with Minseok and Han to the opening of the trial. That morning, Han showers him quickly, in a rush to get ready himself.

When he hands Baekhyun to Minseok, the eldest is already wearing grey slacks and a white shirt (one of his formal attires) and has ready the child's clothes over their bed.

Baekhyun allows Minseok to dress him as he always does. And from time to time, his eyes scan Minseok quickly, before shaking his head.

"Is everything ok, baby?" Baekhyun frowns and Minseok stops his task, even when it's late already and he needs to finish dressing both Baekhyun and himself.

"Please, don't go. I don't want to go back" Minseok can tell the boy is shivering, stressed. His eyes glow in a way the Korean man had never seen, like a holographic rainbow.

"Baek-" Baekhyun's skin now is glowing too, and Minseok thinks it's pretty.

"I can't stop glowing, I'm sorry" he sobs, scared that he's going to be hidden in the basement once again. Instead of whatever he imagines is going to happen now, he receives a hug. Minseok rarely hugs Baekhyun, his skin too cold for a kid who sees temperatures.

"It's ok, I like it"

"D-do you?" Minseok nods, stroking Baekhyun’s back.

"You're cold, sir" the elder sighs.

"Sorry, baby. My power makes me cold" Baekhyun shivers at the mention of the word 'power' "I can stop hugging you if you want..." Baekhyun shakes his head. "No?"

"Can you show me your... Your power?" Baekhyun whispers the last word, but Minseok doesn’t pressure the issue and just asks Baekhyun to open one of his little hands and he forms a snowflake over it, Baekhyun gasps in amazement.

"And here I am, rushing because we're late" Han comments from the doorframe and Minseok rolls his eyes. Han looks handsome in his navy blue suit, that's one of the reasons Minseok fell in love with him.

"We’ll make everything in our hands for you to stay with us, ok Baekkie?" Baekhyun feels this a promise, and he clings to it.

The beginning of the trial is everything but nice. Seung is frowning especially hard and Han can sense her distress, and he protects Baekhyun with his own body as Minseok is the one doing the talking (once or twice he even has to cover Baekhyun’s ears because of the bad words the staff of the orphanage were saying to them).

“You kidnapped him!” a man points with his index finger accusingly at Jongin who looks pale.

“I didn’t kidnap anyone-” he tries to defend himself.

“Why else would you escape with the kid?”

“Because he was distressed and crying, telling someone was following him. He told he has no parents and someone has chasing him, he didn’t want to be with them-”

“Liar!”

“I’m not lying!” Seung knows Jongin isn’t lying, she can read it in his mind, as well as she can read he is distressed, but he is trying to keep focused for the sake of Baekhyun. She gives a quick scan to the judge, and she resists the urge to smirk because the man thinks the staff is being unreasonable, because isn’t it their purpose to give the kids a better place to live? Why would they want to keep Baekhyun with them if the gentlemen here are willing to give him a new and better life?

“Gentlemen, this is enough for today”

“No way! You haven’t even told us who is going to take care of the boy for the duration of the trial!” the judge seems tired and Seung arches a delicate eyebrow.

“My clients are staying with him”

“That’s fucking impossible!”

“Language, sir” a police man reprimands.

“The boy should stay with us!”

“You don’t even know his name” Minseok states and the man from the orphanage pales, affirming he knows it “What is it then? Tell me his name” Minseok waits for an answer that never comes, and instead the man tries to take Baekhyun from Han’s arms, but he pushes him a bit forcefully with his mental power.

“Get away from him before I break every bone in your body”

“Are you allowing the kid to stay with those freaks?!” he seems anxious “He’s a weirdo, he has a power” Han blushes but Seung and the judge don’t react.

“Enough, this will be taken into consideration for the trial, I said it’s enough for today. You may leave now”

Minseok and Han come back home with Baekhyun still with them. Baekhyun doesn’t understand why Minseok disappears as soon as they step inside.

“Where did Minseok-ssi go?” Han sighs and smiles painfully. He knows Minseok has been suffering a severe migraine since the asshole started to use bad language in front of Baekhyun and Minseok’s eyes glowed in ice blue, but he didn’t mention anything because it wasn’t the place, but he was sure Seung knew that too.

“His head hurts badly, baby. He needs to rest in order to get better” Baekhyun frowns.

“Can Yixing-hyung help?” Han sighs again. _Kids_.

“No _huǒhuā_ , XingXing can’t help Minseokie with this because he can’t control his power yet, and we wouldn’t ask him for that-”

“Why? It will help Minseok-ssi...”

“Because every time he uses his power his health suffers” oh. Baekhyun nods, he doesn’t want Yixing to feel bad, but he still frowns thinking of Minseok “What are you thinking of, _huǒhuā_?”

“Why do you call me like that?”

“Don’t you like it?”

“I don’t know what it means”

“Spark, in Chinese”

“Do you speak Chinese, sir?” the look Baekhyun gives him is one of complete awe and amazement and Han smiles softly. He thinks he’s starting to understand why Sehun looks so absurdly in love with Zitao and Chanyeol, and why Yifan can’t help but smile whenever Yixing looks at him. How can they not if the kids look at them like they hung the moon and the stars in the sky?

“I do, I’m from China” Baekhyun emits a surprised ‘oh’ and Han kisses his forehead “I can teach you if you want”

“I’d like to”

It takes them almost three months to get to adopt Baekhyun, when they both are at the verge of crying and yelling at each other for any stupid thing.

“Don’t you see that I’m trying, Lu Han?!” more often than not, it is Minseok who struggles the most. No matter that he has agreed to adopt the kid, that he didn’t have the heart to left Baekhyun wandering on the streets, that he enjoyed his company, that he already loved him. “I still don’t know what I’m doing and my head hurts!”

“Do you think I know what I’m doing?”

“Well, you’ve got your shit more together that mine”

“This is bullshit, Minseok” Han’s eyes rarely glow in silver, showing he’s losing his temper, but they are. “We’re both on this, you told me you were fine with adopting Baekhyun-”

“I _am_ fine with adopting Baekhyun!”

“Then, what is the problem?”

“I won’t be a good father, Han” after all the yelling, Minseok is now whispering. The temperature of the room is getting cooler each second but neither of them seem to care, barely visible snowflakes falling all over the kitchen. “I- These three months had been hard, I think Dae is more familiarized with Baekhyun than us now-”

“Hyung” Han uses the reassuring word to calm his husband “Jongdae-yah offered his help while we had to work and take care of the adoption-” the words are having the opposite effect since now Han is shivering because of the cold temperature of the room.

“We barely have had time to stay with Baek... I now get why he stopped working-”

“Do you want to stop working too?” 

“No! I just don’t know how are we going to manage this. You are barely home, you travel a lot because of your work and I can barely hand myself. How are we supposed to take care of Baekhyun?! He deserves better than us, better than me-”

“We’ll manage it, hyung” again, the soothing word. Minseok is crying but the temperature of the kitchen is rising slowly. “We’re a team, baby. As we always have been” Minseok’s head is throbbing again, but he decides to ignore it this time and he hugs his husband instead.

“Hannie, I’m sorry- I just-”

“It’s alright, I’m right here. Don’t be scared, Minseokie-hyung. We’ll get through this together” Han wipes Minseok’s tears away, just in time, because the doorbell rings. Jongdae’s distinctive voice is heard through the door and Minseok knows he has to gain his composure again (not for Jongdae, who has seen him in this state many times, but for Baekhyun).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh! It's been forever since I wrote XiuHan and I feel really sorry for abandon them :c  
> My work has been awful, draining, I've been working non-stop for days, working extra hours, leaving really late and I'm seriously tired.  
> Yesterday I had a little accident with my bike again (in case you don't know, I had had a few accidents with my motorbike by now) and I finally was able to properly rest (working from home, but still in my bed hehe).  
> Now, as I wait to update the last piece of information to the system, I have time to update my little babies.
> 
> Thank you so much for your support, and sorry if this is a bittersweet chapter, I promise we'll get to the fluff soon.  
> Read you soon (I hope it won't take that long this time) <3


	4. [ r e f l e c t i o n ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated_

Minseok knows about Chanyeol and Zitao’s school where they aren't against superpowers. Sehun told Han Baekhyun's education will be oriented to control and master his power. But they don't want to let him go just yet, they had barely time to stay with him during the last few months.

Minseok and Han agree that the architect should take the kid to his work, since his office is calm and Baekhyun can spend time with him as he works (and it will help to gain time to figure out how exactly their schedules are going to work since both of them have to travel from time to time).

"Do you have everything ready, Baek?"

"Yes, Mr. Han" Han sighs. It has been a week since they're officially Baekhyun's parents, but he still doesn't feel comfortable enough to call them that.  _ It's fine, _ Han thinks.  _ Mr. Han is better than sir, anyway. _

"Where is your backpack?" Han asks again, he knows that if Minseok gets late, he will be stressed the whole morning. Han is a good husband, he always wakes up earlier than he has to to help Minseok in the morning since he tends to freak out for the littlest things.

"On the chair, Mr. Han" Han hums before he lifts Baekhyun in his arms and uses his power to carry the backpack to the kitchen where they are having breakfast while Minseok gets ready.

Baekhyun is already dressed in some of the new clothes Minseok bought for him  _ (now that you're part of our family, what do you say if we buy you a nice wardrobe, Baekkie?) _ , these include white shirt, beige jeans and a black hoodie. Han is still in pajamas since he’s checking one of his projects later, he will leave later than usual.

The Chinese man starts turning on the coffee maker before he places chopped fruit and some cooked rice in front of Baekhyun for him to eat.

"You can't leave this house without breakfast, young man" Baekhyun doesn't need to be told this twice.

When Minseok arrives to the kitchen, his husband hands him two white pills and the elder smiles softly, mumbling a soft 'thanks' before he swallows them with a glass of water Han hands him after.

Minseok pecks Han's lips.

"Morning, Hannie" Han smiles and deepens the kiss for a fraction of a second.

"Good morning to you, hyung" they agreed Han would use honorifics to Minseok in front of Baekhyun until he was familiarized with their dynamics as a couple. The kid couldn't care less about the way the Chinese man addresses the Korean one in his barely accented Korean, too enraptured in how lovely they look when they kiss each other (something he loves to watch but he is still too shy to admit it). "How did you sleep?"

"It could have been better... Why do you kick so much in your sleep, Han? Are you constantly dreaming about soccer?" Han blushes and Baekhyun lifts his eyes with curiosity.

"Soccer?" Minseok looks at Baekhyun and smiles warmly, Baekhyun never fails to warm his heart.

"Yes, Han played soccer when he was in highschool and college" Minseok intertwines his hand with Han's and Baekhyun suddenly wants to fit between the two of them.

"Minnie loves soccer too, we played together on some of our dates" he clarifies to Baekhyun "I don't know why are you complaining that much about that still, hyung"

"Baek, baby. Let me tell you, you're so lucky you aren't sleeping with us anymore. Yesterday he made me fall from the bed..." Han frowns and Baekhyun finds it funny, so he laughs. It's a beautiful sound, Minseok and Han wished they could record it to replay it forever.

Baekhyun's skin and eyes shine in a lovely soft pink color when he is happy. But he doesn't care, since both Mr. Han and Mr. Min have told him it's fine to have powers, it's alright to be special. They love him for what he is.

"Can you teach me how to play soccer, Mr. Min, Mr. Han?" they nod and Baekhyun smiles again.

Minseok leaves to his work on time, and Han stays behind to clean their kitchen, as he always does.

🌈

Almost a week later, Minseok is waiting for Jongdae outside his house while he’s holding Baekhyun’s hand in between his. He’s not a fan of gloves, but he wears them while Baekhyun gets used to his cold skin (Jongdae suggested it). The kid stares at the city with curiosity.

The Kia Imagine purrs softly when it arrives to the front of their residence. Chanyeol and Zitao are in the car, ready to go to their school. Baekhyun looks at them jealous, wanting to belong to the school already.

Jongdae opens the window of the co-driver and unlocks the car for Minseok to place the kid in the back seat, even when he still goes down from the car to help his elder brother with his son.

"Baek!" Minseok has always thought Jongdae has a funny voice, too deep, but too whiny, even when he tries to sound like an adult "You look so good! Are you ready to know the school?" despite his whiny voice, Minseok concedes that Jongdae is really good with the kids. Zitao and Chanyeol are well-behaved and wait patiently for his dad to set Baekhyun in the car. Even then, after months together (more than a year in Chanyeol's case), Jongdae still looks absolutely tired.

"I'm ready, Dae-hyung" Minseok deadpans and Jongdae can't help but laugh.

"Baekhyun, I already told you it isn't correct to call Jongdae like that" he tries to correct his kid, and Minseok notices Zitao is looking at him with a curious expression.

"Why?" he doesn't understand.

"You don't call your uncle 'hyung'... Baekhyun-hyung" Zitao explains, still curious of his elder cousin, and still looking for reassurance in his brother Chanyeol  _ (is that what he was supposed to say?) _ . Chanyeol, as always, nods and smiles at him.

"Really?" the light bender sounds confused "How do you call your uncles then?" Zitao looks at Chanyeol, not knowing if he should answer that question, so his hyung steps in.

"We call your dad uncle Minnie or uncle Minseok" Chanyeol says in a soft voice.

"My... dad?" Baekhyun thinks of the word, as if he never pictured calling Minseok like that. Chanyeol frowns when he notices he might have said something wrong and Zitao squeezes his hand.  _ It's ok, _ he says through his touch. Zitao still doesn't understand what it's right or wrong to say. "Is it alright to call you uncle Dae, hyung?" Jongdae smiles at Baekhyun. Minseok is about to have an anxiety attack.

"It's ok, call me whatever makes you feel alright, Baekkie" Minseok gives him a warning with his eyes, that flash in the scary icy-blue but Jongdae looks at him unimpressed "What?"

"Don't encourage him" Jongdae shrugs his shoulders "I'm being serious, Jongdae"

"You don't scare me, hyung. I'm not Myeon-hyung" Jongdae then reaffirms himself with sparkles coming from his fingers, warning Minseok that he is no one to play with.

"Fine, take us to the school already, brat" suddenly, it looks like Minseok and Jongdae are no longer 36 and 34, but 14 and 12.

Jongdae drives more carefully than Minseok would like to admit. He doesn't remember watching him driving like this ever in his life (not even when Jongin broke his foot when he fell from a stage), but he can't say he's complaining.

Behind them, Zitao and Chanyeol talk softly, trying to include his cousin into their conversation.

"What is your favorite color, hyung?" Chanyeol allows Zitao to do the talking, since it seems they're more connected and they have similar interests.

"I like pink" Zitao and Chanyeol wait for Baekhyun to keep explaining why pink is his favorite color "Mornings are always pink, it's warm, and it's soft" they nod, not really following Baekhyun, but still smiling. "White are nice colors too" Zitao thinks his cousin doesn't really speak a good Korean, because it sounds funny, but he knows better and he doesn’t laugh.  _ Manners peach, _ Chanyeol would say.

"Colors?" it seems like Zitao isn’t the only one thinking that sounded weird.

"White is not just one color together, Chan" before Baekhyun is able to show them anything, they arrive at the school.

"Yeol, Taozi-" Jongdae calls his sons to gain their attention, even when they’re already listening to him Chanyeol will take their belongings and will lead Zitao to his classroom.

"Yes, dad. We're going now" as per usual, Chanyeol helps Zitao with his backpack before grabbing his, Jongdae, Chanyeol and Zitao go out of the car. Minseok and Baekhyun stay inside, watching their interactions.

"I'll be in the direction with your uncle, inscribing Baek. Be good and learn a lot, alright?" a chorus of 'yes baba' and 'yes dad' mixed together does weird things to Minseok "I'll pick you up at three, alright?" Chanyeol and Zitao disappear, waving goodbye at Baekhyun.

Minseok waits patiently to be interviewed by the secretary of the school, with his brother by his side. He assures him that there's nothing to be nervous about, they're really nice understanding people, because the majority of them have powers.

Baekhyun looks at the incandescent lights through some gems and giggles from time to time.

"Parents of Lu-Kim... Baekhyun?" Minseok trips with his own feet when he stands up and Jongdae helps him so he doesn't fall.

"Here" Jongdae answers. The secretary recognises him and nods.

_ "Thanks for coming with me to do this"  _ Minseok mumbles to his younger brother.

🌈

"Goodbye Mr. Han~" Baekhyun smiles at Han when he turns around to wave at him before he goes in the building of the school. Han waves back as he thinks how convenient is that Chanyeol and Baekhyun are in the same classroom since they are the same age.

"Goodbye, Baekhyunnie~" Han waits until Baekhyun and Chanyeol disappear inside the main entrance before he starts his van again to go back to their house.

Han rarely spends time at home. He travels a lot to different cities and different countries solving problems of advanced engineering (he works in a company where he is a consultant, much like Sehun does, but he offers solutions to the companies that hire them that doesn't have their own project teams). When he does it, he likes to clean.

Minseok complained at first, because Han could spend  _ hours _ cleaning mumbling things about the stupid germs. After a while living together, it was just a matter of getting used to the fact. Minseok himself was a clean freak, compulsively ordering every single item in their home. Junmyeon was always jealous because that house was as clean as a sterile room.

Minseok knows how much his husband needs his time to clean the house, so he offers him to pick up Baekhyun on his (rare) free day as he uses the time to clean everything.

Han arrives to their house and the first thing he does is cleaning his hands with soap and sanitizer. Then he grabs his gloves to start cleaning the kitchen (again).

Back at the time when Han and Sehun were just college students, they always fought because no matter how much effort Sehun put in cleaning the kitchen, it was never clean enough for Han. When they finally reached an agreement, Sehun always ate outside because Han would sanitize him with bleach each time they cooked.

Once he finishes (it doesn't take him that long since he cleaned it just this morning), he moves to Baekhyun's room to order it and clean it.

Baekhyun is a beautiful kid, neither Han nor Minseok regret for one second adopting him. He is so pure and shy it never fails to break Han's heart into pieces. Han thinks of this as he folds the recently washed clothes of his son and places them into the drawers.

Minseok was the one that suggested Baekhyun must choose the color of his room. Minseok and Han didn't question when Baekhyun picked pink and white, nor told him it was a girly combination of colors, but they combined it with gray which made it look more elegant (in accordance to their house). Every little detail picked was chosen to enhance Baekhyun's light features (like the crystal drops hanging from the ceiling that emitted beautiful rainbow reflections).

Han takes his sweet time in ordering everything, so much that he loses track of the hour and he only realizes it's time to move to another room when Minseok calls him and he absentmindedly answers.

_ "Han, you should stop now" _

"Uh?"

_ "I know you're cleaning Han, stop. You had been on it for hours already" _ Han looks at the watch on his wrist Minseok gifted him and he gasps.

"Oh God, Baekhyun! I totally forgot to-"

_ "Pick him up?"  _ Minseok laughs and Han wonders why his husband is laughing because he just forgot their son  _ "Don't worry, I'm on my way already. I imagined you would clean and forget about everything. By the way... Did you eat already?" _

"No, Minnie. I totally forgot- Ugh, I'll prepare the dinner in a minute-"

_ "Babe, relax"  _ Minseok speaks softly to his husband  _ "I've got you covered. We'll stop by Kyungsoo-yah's restaurant and I'll buy some food so you don't have to cook. I know you hate when the kitchen gets dirty" _

"You know me so well~" Minseok laughs and Han blushes.

_ "Eleven years married and you still think I don't know you~" _

"Shut up" Han leaves Baekhyun's bedroom just then, leaving it completely cleaned and sanitized (yes,  _ sanitized).  _ Minseok laughs again, trying to ignore the sound of Han using the vacuum cleaner. “Be sure to greet Soo-yah and Nini-yah”

_ “What makes you think my brother is in the restaurant?”  _ there is a laugh lingering on Minseok’s voice.

“Honey, your brother lives practically attached to Kyungsoo at this point. It’s completely ridiculous they think they're fooling us” Minseok hums in agreement.

_ “I’ll see you later, babe” _

“See you too, Minnie” Minseok tells him he’s about to take the subway and Han feels a bit guilty because if he knew Minseok would pick up Baekhyun, he would have left him the van. “I love you, hyung”

_ “Love you too, Lulu” _

Minseok arrives at the restaurant fuming (not in a literal way, though). Baekhyun can’t stop crying and not precisely because he’s scared of the elder, but for the hurtful things the kids told him in the school. Even Jongdae was called because Chanyeol burnt one of the kids’ clothes to defend his cousin (Minseok himself was the one telling Jongdae not to be so harsh with his nephew, but he could tell that he was everything but mad at him, a prideful glint shining in his eyes).

“What in the hell-?! Hyung, can you please calm down? You’re freezing the entire place!” Kyungsoo gets out of the kitchen ready to fight, but he calms down when he sees Jongin’s brother. He realizes something had happened, because Minseok usually collected self is a second from starting the Third Ice Age. “What happened?”

“An asshole called Baekhyun a flower-boy because he was wearing pink!”

“Hyung, that’s-”

“I’m going to fucking end him”

“Hyung!” Jongin comes out of the bathroom, blushing and looking at his brother scandalized. He doesn’t know what his brother is doing there, swearing and in front of Baekhyun “Watch your mouth! Your son is listening...” Minseok doesn’t seem to care, he just keep stroking Baekhyun to calm him. “What happened?” Jongin asks to Kyungsoo.

“Someone insulted Baek, and Minseok wants to kill them” Kyungsoo sighs, he doesn’t want to deal with this that early in the afternoon.

“Shall we take them home?” Kyungsoo hums.

“Yes, I don’t think he’s in condition to take the subway again. Just let me grab my coat and something to eat with them, alright?” Jongin smiles at Kyungsoo before he disappears in the kitchen once again.

“Hyung, gimme Baek...”

“Let my son alone, Jongin” Minseok hisses, the temperature decreasing.

“You’re just making him cry even more” Baekhyun is hiding his face in Minseok’s shoulder “Calm down for a sec, we’re taking you home”

“I don’t want to go home” Kyungsoo arrives once again and gives one nod to Jongin, before he holds his arm and Jongin teleport them to Minseok’s house “I want to murder the fu-  _ freaking _ brat”

"We aren't going to murder anyone tonight, I just cleaned the carpet" Han’s voice comes from the room and Jongin and Kyungsoo visibly calm when he appears in te room. “What now?” Han looks at Kyungsoo and Jongin accusingly but they shake their heads and Han notices Baekhyun is crying. “Who hurt you, baby?”

“A- a kid called me...”

“What?” Han can’t hear him.

“...” Baekhyun mumbles the word but he doesn’t understand and Minseok mouths it for him.

“Oh” Han understands “They’re just jealous, gorgeous. Don’t mind them” Han kisses the top of his head and Baekhyun’s skin glows with a pale blue tint. “We all love you, no matter what you choose or are”

“Thanks, Mr. Han”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was planned to be longer, but I couldn't resist and I wanted you to have this preview of their domestic life.  
> I'm more relaxed now (my work finally is not as stressful as it was being the past few months), and my hip is getting better after my accident c: Thanks to everyone for worrying about me!
> 
> As you can see, I updated the lenght story (as per usual) because the lenght of the drabbles are getting out of hand, so I have to split the scenes even more~
> 
> Thanks again for read this little AU, I hope you can keep enjoying it~  
> Until then, stay safe for me ;)  
> Read you soon <3


	5. [ f l u o r e s c e n c e ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation. It is a form of luminescence. In most cases, the emitted light has a longer wavelength, and therefore lower energy, than the absorbed radiation_

Sehun finds Minseok and Baekhyun in the supermarket.

“Hyung! Fancy seeing you here~ What are you doing?” he’s alone, no Jongdae nor Chanyeol nor Zitao in sight. He must be buying some items Jongdae requested him because he has a folded paper in his hand (Jongdae is more like an old-fashioned housewife, writing lists in papers an all).

“Uh- Buying the dinner?” Baekhyun looks at the taller man and he marvels at him. He doesn’t think he has ever seen him before (it may have something to do with Sehun being busy during this whole time and not being able to meet his new nephew).

"Nice~ This should be the little Baekhyunnie Chanyeol and Zitao talk so much about" Sehun kneels in front of the kid and smiles. Baekhyun remains quiet, holding Minseok's hand. Han has told him he mustn't talk to strangers, but is it really a stranger when Mr. Min knows him? "Hello, I'm Sehun, Chanyeol and Zitao's papa" _ah._ Baekhyun smiles then.

"Are you Jongdae husband then? You're handsome" Minseok frowns as Sehun laughs. Baekhyun thinks in how different their laugh sound.

"Baekhyun!" Minseok is blushing, but Baekhyun doesn't understand what's going on.

"I don't mind at all, hyung" Minseok mumbles something unintelligible as he picks some noodles. Sehun still doesn't pick anything, more interested in Minseok's son. "You're really lovely, I can see why Yeol and Tao can't stop talking about you~"

"Really?" Sehun hums.

"Stop it Sehun, Han praises him enough for you to contribute too" Sehun rolls his eyes "You're just like him, what the heck did they teach you in college?" Baekhyun laughs. "What?"

"Appa sounds funny when he says bad words" Minseok almost has a heart attack. It's the first time he calls him 'appa'. Sehun must not know it, because the asshole laughs.

"Your appa swears a lot, much like Jongdae"

"Uncle Dae?"

"That's right, uncle Dae swears a lot too" Baekhyun clapps and giggles. Sehun is funny, he likes him. Minseok glares at him as he picks some oyster sauce for the noodles.

"Ah, if I were you, I'd pick shrimp sauce. Han has been craving for shrimps lately"

"Appa, why does Mr. Sehun doesn't call Mr. Han hyung? Is he older than him?" again, the pain in his heart.

"No, baby. It's because he's a disrespectful brat" Sehun laughs, Minseok picks the shrimp sauce after all. "Now that you seem to know my husband better than me, any good idea for dessert?" Sehun rolls his eyes but he answers anyway.

"Chocolate brownies" Sehun finally picks something neither Baekhyun or Minseok know what it is. "I'd better get going or Jongdae is going to murder me if I don't come quick"

"He's worse than a pregnant woman, isn't he?"

"You tell me~" Sehun is starting to walk in the aisle. "Let's see us later, hyung. Take care of your appa, young man" Baekhyun giggles again.

When Han arrives home, it smells like shrimps. He's been craving for shrimps the entire week but he hasn't had time to cook them.

"Minnie?" he can hear the voices from Minseok and Baekhyun un the living room and he feels more relaxed. The two loves of his life are enjoying their time together.

"Mr. Han? Appa and I bought something for you!" is now Han's turn to be in shock, he doesn't even protest why he doesn't get to be called 'dad' like Minseok, just because he's too happy because this big achievement.

"How-?"

"It's on the counter" Minseok offers, as a promise that he will tell him everything later.

🌈

Baekhyun loves to be spoiled, it seems. It seems also that there's no human power that can make Minseok and Han tell no to his son, especially since he started to call Minseok 'appa'.

"Appa, can we visit Nini-hyung?" _Baekhyun, Jongin is your uncle, not your hyung._

"Appa, can I have an ice cream?" _Min, let the kid have an ice cream... Do you want an ice cream too, Lu Han? Maybe._

"Appa, I want a translucent backpack" _Why do you want that for? Better ask how does he even know what that word means._ "I promised Taozi I'll show him some nice tricks I can do"

"Appa, I want the shiny Converse" _Huǒhuā, you already have four pairs of converse. Let him have it, Han. You're paying for them,_ hyung.

"Appa, buy me a cat" _absolutely not, Baekhyun. Your cousin Zitao is allergic to cats and you love to have him here._ Han thinks it isn't a bad idea, though. He will have to discuss it with Minseok later.

"Appa, do you know how do you say 'appa' in Chinese?" Baekhyun asks this time, shyly. The kid waits for Han to not be in the room and Minseok knows he is nervous, so he tells him the word and reassures him it's ok. "Do you think Mr. Han will get mad if I call him like that?"

"Uh-huh" Minseok pecks his forehead. Of course Han will love if Baekhyun calls him 'dad', he's been jealous of Minseok these two weeks. "He will not, Baek"

Han comes into the bedroom, carrying the basket of clean clothes and a can of sanitizer. Minseok thinks it's too much even for Han to sanitize Baekhyun's clothes but he doesn't tell him a thing. Baekhyun asks to help him to spray the sanitizer in the clothes before Han folds them and the Chinese man instructs him gladly.

Once the clothes are folded, Baekhyun asks again to help organising them in the closet. Minseok and Han look at themselves proud. _He will be a good son._

When he can't reach the highest rack, he asks "Can you lift me up, baba? I can't reach"

Han lost count of how many times during these five months Baekhyun has gave him the shock of his life, not that he minds anyway. Minseok grins widely at the priceless face his husband is making. He wishes he could take a picture of it and make it his phone wallpaper.

Han uses his power to lift him softly and Baekhyun places the sweaters as best as he can. Once he's done, Han puts him down and kisses him on the cheek.

"Well done, huǒhuā" Minseok winks at his son. _Told you._

_🌈_

It's late and Minseok and Han are watching a soccer game on TV. It's one of those rare occasions where they actually have time to enjoy for themselves and Baekhyun is already asleep, so Han is drinking a beer while Minseok is drinking lemon soda (the neurologist forbid him to drink alcohol or any sort of beverage with caffeine).

"Can you repeat me again why don't we do this more often?" Han sips a little bit more of his beer "This is actually pretty cool, Minnie~"

"Well, we would watch shows together if one of us didn't always fall asleep..."

"I can't help it!"

"If you could, you would sleep the whole day" Minseok rolls his eyes and Han sticks out his tongue.

"That's not true-"

"You know it is~" Han is really close to Minseok's lips and the elder gulps. He leans to close the distance between them and they share a slow kiss. Today is a good day, Minseok's nerves are working fine and not sending mixed signals, so the kiss feels pleasant like it should.

"Baba?" Minseok and Han jump on the sofa, startled when they hear Baekhyun's voice. The kid is in front of the TV, now blocking the soccer game (and the score of the team Han is supporting).

"Baek? How long have you been here?" Han sounds a bit hysterical. _How can they not notice Baekhyun sneaking to the living room?_

"A while"

"Really?" Baekhyun nods and then he yawns tiredly.

"I had a nightmare..." he mumbles "Can I stay here, baba?"

"Baby, it's late already. You should be asleep. Don't you want me to sing you a lullaby and sleep with you?" Baekhyun thinks for a while and then he shakes his head. Minseok knows his about to use his puppy eyes.

"Appa... can I stay here?" Minseok and Han sigh. Of course they will agree because none of them can't say no to their son.

"Alright, baby. Sit between me and baba" Baekhyun sits on the sofa and Han strokes his hair, as Minseok strokes his shoulders. They change the channel, and Han almost growls because he will miss the second half of the soccer game in favor of watching Frozen (Baekhyun loves Elsa because it reminds him of his appa).

He starts to fall asleep soon, though.

"Take him to his bed, Hannie, love" it's really unusual when Minseok calls his husband something this cheesy and Han smiles. He feels the warmth radiating from Baekhyun's body and he's ready to lift him, but he can't see him.

"As soon as I find him..."

"What do you mean? He's-" Minseok realizes they can feel Baekhyun, but they can't see him "...invisible?" they stare at each other, not knowing what this means "Does he not control light?"

"Uh..." Han scratches his face "If you think of it, being invisible is a variation of controlling light, he's just changing the refraction of the light over his body-"

"Ok engineer, stop. I don't understand you" Han sticks out his tongue once again "My only question is when he will be visible again" Han laughs and pecks his husband's lips.

"Who knows?"

🌈

Jongin teleports to the kitchen with Zitao in his arms holding the bread for the toasts. His brother Jongdae is stuck in his living room, struggling with a translation of a scientific paper, so he's cooking dinner tonight (Kyungsoo hasn't arrived yet).

"Where are Baek and Yeol, Taozi?" Zitao stares at his uncle with the same black hollow eyes he has when he uses his powers. As they had come to learn, Zitao is not affected by traveling through quantum tunnels since his power basically works the same way.

"I don't know, uncle Nini" Jongin told them he was only able to make something rather simple since he wasn't good at cooking. Jongdae trusted he wouldn't burn his own kitchen. Zitao wanted to go with him to pick the ingredients for the dinner.

"Nini? You there?" Jongin can hear his brother, asking for him "Can you take Baek and Yeol to the kitchen with you? I can't work-"

"Sure hyung!" he shouts back "Let's pick your brother and cousin, little boy" Zitao nods at his uncle and gets ready to teleport again. He loves teleporting, it feels cool, kinda cold.

"Uncle Nini, you both look so violet~" Baekhyun giggles and Chanyeol frowns. He's still wary from that first time they met and Baekhyun was scared he was going to die. Now he knows that Chanyeol is usually warm, as well as Jongin, Zitao and his own appa, Minseok, are usually cold (powers are a bitch).

"Let's go help them, hyung" Chanyeol mumbles in a low voice, he doesn't want to disturb his dad. Jongdae smirks even when he's not watching them. _His sons are really well-behaved._

"Can we help?!" Baekhyun yells excited. His baba doesn't allow him to be in the kitchen because he says it's dangerous. His skin glows in yellow, sign that he's happy.

"Don't teleport them to the kitchen or you'll make them sick" Jongdae warns, looking at Jongin over his reading glasses.

"You're such a spoilsport, hyung" still, Jongin walks with his nephews to the kitchen.

Jongin has seen countless times Kyungsoo preparing toasts. It shouldn’t be hard. Only that he can’t remember if Kyungsoo uses the toaster or the oven. He stares at the bread for minutes and his nephews barely notice it, except for Zitao (who has a different perception of time).

“Uncle?” Chanyeol is the next one that notices it “Should I ask dad how to make toasts?” Jongin shakes his head fervently.

“Don’t disturb Jongdae-hyung, Chanyeol-ah. He’s working. We can manage just fine” Chanyeol and Zitao look at his uncle with doubt in his eyes, but since Baekhyun hasn’t spent a lot of time with him (hence he doesn’t know how terrible he is in the kitchen) can only nod, excited.

“How the _fu-_ did you manage to burn the entire kitchen, Jongin?!” Jongdae is hysterical. Zitao stopped the fire unconsciously and Chanyeol is diligently trying to control it. The eldest can't tell his sons not to try to help when the smoke is starting to alert the neighbors (if just Sehun were there, the smoke would be gone in seconds).

“I don’t know” Jongin mumbles. He’s protecting Baekhyun from the fire with his own body. Baekhyun is worried because Zitao doesn’t stop crying. Neither Jongdae nor Jongin can tell how Baekhyun is getting stressed little by little.

"You have no idea how to make a toast?!" Jongdae yells once again, lifting Zitao in his arms. Seriously, his brother is so dumb sometimes. “Why didn’t you ask?!” and just like that, all the lights are gone, and now Baekhyun’s eyes are as black as Zitao’s. Jongdae’s sons are scared, because they both hug him tightly.

“Baba, what’s going on?” Zitao whines. Jongdae picks up another sound: Baekhyun is crying too.

“Baek, baby. Are you ok?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry...” Baekhyun sobs. Jongin and Jongdae are trying to figure it out what happened.

“Why are you sorry, gorgeous? It’s okay, it wasn’t your fault, the lights just went-” _oh_ “out”

“Sorry, uncles” Baekhyun mustn't know how to make them come back “I’m sorry, don’t take me back to them... I’m good, I promise” Zitao and Chanyeol are not afraid anymore, since Baekhyun looks way much more terrified and he can’t stop shaking. Chanyeol leaves his dad’s side to hug his cousin.

“You’re not coming back, hyung” he whispers, reassuring.

“Yah, baby. It’s ok. Controlling a power takes time, you don’t need to worry about it” Jongin tries to calm him. “Did you know your uncle Jongdae once electrocuted your appa?” Jongdae sighs.

“I was just five, Nini” Baekhyun starts to calm down, but the lights don’t return.

“The lights... uncle Dae” Jongdae places Zitao on the floor and lifts Baekhyun. Zitao hugs his brother and Chanyeol mumbles something like ‘brave peach’.

“Do you want to see something cool?” Jongdae uses his power to create a spark in the lightbulb and illuminate the room. Baekhyun’s eyes are still black but he smiles, just when Kyungsoo arrives.

“What happened to my- _ehm._ Your kitchen, Jongin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to everyone again!  
> I lost the notion of the time, did it take me longer than the last chapter?  
> Are you enjoying it? Do you like so far the story of Baekhyun and how he spends time with his family?
> 
> I don't have much to say this time, other than the usual.  
> My job is consuming a lot of my time, but I seriously expect to solve all the issues I have soon, so I can keep with my hobbies in peace.  
> I have some ideas for this universe still cooking in my head, let's see how everything evolve, shall we?
> 
> Well, you know already~ Until then, stay safe ;)  
> Read you soon <3


	6. [ i r i d e s c e n c e ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear to gradually change colour as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes._

When Minseok arrives from his Busan business trip, the house is in silence. Weird, since both Baekhyun and Han love to blast KPop in the audio system whenever he isn’t home to shut them up.

"Guys?! I'm home!" Minseok doesn't hear a thing, and he feels terrified for a second. _What if something happened to his husband and son?_ "Hannie? Baek?" he inspects all the rooms carefully, seeking for them, with no luck. He freaks out. "Han?!"

The last room he checks out is his, his suitcase long forgotten in the living room since the beginning. When he opens the door, he can't find anything, just like in the other rooms, but the open door from the balcony that faces their garden is open, so he can hear them.

"Hold 'em Yifan!" is obviously his husband's voice.

"Why do you think I'm trying to do, uh gege?!"

"Obviously you're doing it wrong! The shower isn't for me!" he sounds annoyed, Minseok can bet he's wearing a white shirt (Han just loves white shirts and he uses them a lot when he's not working).

"You're not the only one wet, gege! Myeon, darling, can you please aim correctly? I'll catch a cold-" _is his little brother here too?_ That means Yixing must be around, probably playing with Baekhyun.

"I'm doing my best, but the cats move so much!" Minseok stills. _Cats?_

He walks to the balcony and looks down. In the garden, his brother-in-law is flying to avoid the puddles of water on the grass, as he helps his husband to hold the front paws of a white cat (Han uses his power too because, as Minseok predicted, he's wearing a white shirt that he doesn't want to get dirty with mud).

He spots his brother, using his power to wash the cat. Cats don't like water, so the cat fights to avoid the 'torture'. Because of this, both his husband and his brother-in-law are completely soaked.

His son and Yixing are trying to dry another two cats (a tabby one and a black cat), using a towel and a hair dryer.

"Hyung, this is taking too long~" Baekhyun whines and Yixing hums in agreement.

"But we need to do it, Baekkie~" both clumsily pass the towel over their respective cat clumsily, barely helping them to get dry.

"Hyung, but it's too violet, it will die..." Baekhyun complains again, using his ability with the colors to look for a source of warmth to help the cats. "If only Yeol-ah were here..." he regrets. Chanyeol is a constant source of warmth, and he always looks so red. He remembers his baba was speaking on the phone with Jongdae's (handsome) husband about the energies and colors "Maybe red light helps?"

Before Yixing can tell him not to use his powers, Baekhyun is already creating a small bubble of red light in his hand. The warmth comes instantly and Yixing looks at him with his mouth opened.

"Heat?" Yixing wonders _is his power heat? Didn't he controlled light?_

"I don't know why red is the warmest of the colors, hyung. Baba explained it to Taozi's appa" they don't know about it, but it helps the cats.

Minseok will worry about this later.

"Lu Han!" everyone in the garden look at the balcony and Han gulps when he sees his husband. Junmyeon and Yifan don't dare to say a word. "Care to explain what is all this?!

"I may have... accidentally... sort of... adopted five cats" Minseok can’t spot the other two.

They could find a place for all the cats, except for the white one. Baekhyun cried and pleaded for them to have it, and Han couldn't resist the face his son did.

Minseok is of course absolutely against this, since Jongdae will kill him if Zitao gets an allergic reaction when they visit them. But Han again steps in and talks with Sehun about Deer (it was the name Baekhyun gave to the cat since he found out that his father's last name meant 'deer').

"It's alright, hyung. Sehun told me Zitao knows he must be away from cats"

"Can we keep Deer, appa?" Minseok just can't, he laughs when he hears the name of the cat. Even when Han feels humiliated, he smiles because they already won.

"Of course, baby" Minseok laughs again and then he whispers in his limited Mandarin to his husband "You look alike, Han~" Han blushes. He isn't any cat, if anything, he's a deer.

🌈

The first big ‘problem’ Lu Han and his husband Minseok have, related to Baekhyun, is when both of them have to travel to different places of the world (both trips work-related).

After they fight for around two hours, they both come to decide that there are two options from where they can choose:

  1. They ask Jongdae and Sehun (or Jongin... and Kyungsoo) to take care of Baekhyun.
  2. One of them take Baekhyun with him. 



“I can call Dae, to see if he doesn’t have troubles with having Baekhyun-”

“I already called Sehun, Minnie. They can’t, because Sehun won’t be around for the next two weeks...” Han replies, tired. Sehun is a very good husband, always caring about Jongdae’s (mental) health. He knows how overwhelmed he gets when he’s alone, and they often volunteer to take care of their nephews, but only if they’re together.

“Is he traveling too?” Minseok sounds barely interested, tired, as well as his husband.

“He is, there is this project in Singapore...”

“Ah, what a shame” he adds, still not interested “Jongdae always wanted to go there” Han shrugs his shoulders. _Yeah, well, nothing can be done._

“Do you think Jongin can take care of him?” Han wonders as he pecks through the counter of the kitchen, facing the living room. Baekhyun is playing with Deer, foreign to what their parents are talking about.

“I can call him to ask if he’s available...” Minseok also looks at Baekhyun, distracting himself from preparing dinner for five seconds. The kid giggles as he creates small bubbles of light in different colors, while the whithe cat chases them. “Baek, baby. Be careful” they already gave up telling Baekhyun to not use his powers, merely because he won’t listen to them and he would cry that _I’m hurting nobody, I’m a good boy_ (which breaks their hearts).

“What if he can’t?” Han wonders and Minseok looks at him, before he flips the meat he’s cooking. Han stares at him for a few seconds, and then he focuses on the rice cooker. “Can you take him to Vancouver?”

“To the seminar?” Minseok isn’t looking at the Chinese man, but he guesses he’s staring at him, waiting for an answer “I guess so...? But what is he going to do there, between so many architects?” Han hums “Can’t you take him, though?”

“Do you think he would like Amsterdam?” the elder frowns. Amsterdam isn’t a place appropriate to a child, even if he’s with his father.

Their cat meows and both Minseok and Han turn around to look at their son. Deer is especially excited when he creates blue and green bubbles.

“Baekhyun, be careful or you’re gonna break something” Han warns him. As a pattern in the Kim family, Han is the most strict parent (more or less, Minseok has his moments too).

“So... Shall I call Nini?” Han nods, taking out the plates (one is plastic because they don’t want to have accidents with Baekhyun”

“Yeah, yeah. Call him” the younger of the husbands leaves the kitchen to call their son for dinner “Baek? The dinner is ready, go wash your hands for me, baby” Baekhyun starts to drag the white cat with him to the bathroom “Leave Deer alone, huǒhuā. He hates that place already” Baekhyun pouts.

“Baba, help me!” Baekhyun jumps in front of his dad, showing him that he wants to be lifted.

“Baek, you’re starting to get heavy...” the child’s eyes get teary.

“Pretty please?” Han ends up lifting his son and taking him to the bathroom. Baekhyun smiles pleased because he got what he wanted. Deer watch father and son from a safe distance.

When Han is drying Baekhyun’s hands, he hears that Minseok is talking to Jongin (presumably convincing him to take care of little Baekhyunnie).

“Baba! Baba! Sing the nana for me” Han tries to listen to the conversation between Minseok and his youngest brother, but he can’t because of Baekhyun “Baba! Are you listening?!” more than ever, Han wishes his son weren’t this spoiled.

“Baekhyun, don’t yell” he warns once again, using his authoritative voice.

“Listen to me!” but Baekhyun just doesn’t care. He whines and pouts and the elder knows nothing good is coming from this. The boy emits a very bright and very strong purple light, and the flash is enough to work as a complete radiography for Deer.

“What the-” Han blinks, blinded by the light. He takes a step back, still with Baekhyun in his arms and something falls.

“Baba!” Baekhyun is crying, grasping his small hands in Han’s white shirt of the day “I can’t see!” Han is absolutely scared. _What should he do now? The flash was bright enough to leave his son blind permanently?_ Baekhyun blinks several times and when he finishes, Minseok is already there, telling Jongin to wait because something awful happened.

“Han?! What happened?! Why is Baekhyun crying?” Baekhyun stops sobbing because he can see again and he lets his baba know that.

"Uh-" through the phone, Han can hear Minseok's brother asking _Hyung? What's going on?! Are you ok? Should I take someone to the hospital?_ "I’ll tell you, but try not to gasp"

🌈

 _"What do you mean you can't find Minseok's lacy underwear, hyung?"_ Han usually calls Sehun when they both have time to speak for a while (this includes during lunch breaks in their works, when they're doing chores, or when one of them has a particularly stressful assignment to finish).

"I swear it was here just a minute ago!"

 _"Check under the bed, you dumbass. It may have fallen..."_ Han checks under his bed, but there's nothing. He sits on the pristine white carpet (both Minseok and Han are clean freaks) and he sighs.

"Nope, they aren't here" Sehun laughs and Han frowns, still looking around for said underwear.

_"You're screwed, Han. Which one of them were? The expensive ones?"_

"The expensive ones" Han confirms. On the line, he can hear Jongdae asking his husband what is so funny, he can't hear Zitao nor Chanyeol though, they are probably watching a movie. As Han tries to remember what did he do with the underwear Minseok bought as a present for Han's birthday _(what are you laughing about? I'm your present Lulu),_ Sehun explains his husband what's going on.

 _"...so he can't find the lacy thong, love"_ Han pictures his brother-in-law frowning.

"Hey! It's not a thong, they're panties!" Han protests.

 _"Oh my God, you're both disgusting"_ this time it's not Sehun who's speaking, but Jongdae. Sehun laughs and the eldest hear Jongdae giving him a weak slap _"Ugh, I'd better get going before Chanyeol burns another pillow. I hope you can find the underwear without hyung finding out, gege"_ Jongdae whispers something else to Sehun Han can't pick up (it can be something about the dinner or something about their lube, who cares?).

Han hears a noise in his room and he stands up from the floor, with the call still on. Baekhyun starts to materialize in front of his astonished baba.

"Baek...? Were you here all this time?" Baekhyun is in their room, and for what it looks, he listened to the complete conversation while he was in 'invisible' mode.

 _"Hyung?"_ Sehun is worried now about his best friend's sanity. Han pales when he finds Minseok's panties in Baehyun's small hands. He stares at his baba, wondering why is he suddenly changing from his natural color to red.

"I found them" Han mumbles and Sehun barely understands (thanks heaven for all the years living together that he got to listen to a drunk Lu Han) "Baekhyun-" Sehun doesn't need to know anything else.

_"If I were you-"_

"I know" Han knows. Sehun is very strict when it comes to teach Zitao and Chanyeol proper behaviors. Sehun wouldn't tolerate that one of his sons had sneaked into their room and stole Jongdae's kinky underwear, because that's not what good boys do. On the rare occasions that he has to punish someone (more frequently Zitao), he uses his power to make them levitate for fifteen minutes, thinking about what they've done. "I'll call you later, fine?"

 _"Alright, Dae is calling me anyway. Talk you later, Han?"_ Han hums and both hang up (they're used to hang up at the same time, weird).

Han sighs when he leaves his phone over the bed and he levitates his son using his power, and he brings him closer to him. Baekhyun starts to look aware that he did something wrong.

"Baba..." Han gives him a firm stare and Baekhyun closes his mouth.

"Ok, young man. What makes you think you can grab things that aren't yours and getting away with it, hmm?" Baehyun eyes are getting red with unshed tears and even when it pains Han, he remains stern and places his open Han in front of Baekhyun "Give them to me, Baekhyun"

Baekhyun cries for a whole mine before he finally hands Han the underwear.

"Baba..." Han feels completely weak for Baekhyun crying, but he proceeds.

"I think both your appa and I were being considerate with you, Baekhyun. Using your powers isn't wrong, but you can't use them for bad things, because that's not good. And bad behaviors aren't allowed in this house" Baekhyun keeps crying as he listens to Han. "Do you understand me, Baekhyun?"

The kid sobbs, but nods. He doesn't want his baba to be mad at him, nor to punish him. He doesn't like punishes, _he doesn't want to die._

"Now, in case you don't know what you did wrong, I'm here to help you to think about that. Using our superpowers to take things that aren't ours is not okay. Repeat it to me, Baekhyun"

"I mustn't use my powers to take things that aren't mine" the light bender is trembling, he silently pleads for his baba to hug him. He now knows he did wrong "I- I'm sorry, baba..." Baekhyun sobs again and Han thinks it was enough punishment for now. He brings Baekhyun closer and he holds him, Baekhyun hugs his baba as he finishes crying.

"Do you promise me you won't do it again, huǒhuā?" Baekhyun feels better now, he isn't afraid to die anymore.

"I promise, baba"

🌈

For Baekhyun's first birthday party with them, the whole family is invited (and obligated to help).

In that beautiful day of May, half of the family is outside in Minseok and Han's garden, using their powers here and there as the kids are playing with Baekhyun in his bedroom. Before they got the chance to put a foot on the staircase, Han, Sehun and Yifan ~~asked~~ warned them to play nice and not to use their powers. _This goes for you Baekhyun,_ Han added.

For today, and as per Jongdae's requirements, Deer is enclosed in Minseok and Han's room (a place where Zitao isn't allowed to get in).

All the adults are helping an unusually calm Minseok, who is guiding them to put everything in order.

Due to their nature of their powers, Han and Yifan are in charge to decorate the garden (all under the strict supervision of Minseok, of course), while Jongin brings things from inside the house to the garden. Sehun helps with the balloons (quietly complaining about the waste of his power).

Kyungsoo (obviously) is working in the kitchen, with Jongdae as his assistant, _since you're not as bad as the others here._ Junmyeon helps too, cleaning mostly.

Once the food is ready, Kyungsoo asks Jongin to take the food to the garden and he not so subtly gives him a soft peck in his cheek when he thinks no one is watching (spoiler: Jongdae, Han and Yifan realize of the fact but none of them say anything).

While they're eating, Minseok sits by Baekhyun's side, careful that his son doesn't get over excited and starts to flash x-rays to everyone (Baekhyun controls more than just the visible spectrum of the light, but it seems that using x-rays has a cost and it's that he loses his vision everytime he controls them).

Zitao and Chanyeol ask Sehun to eat by themselves, in the company of their cousins. Jongdae convinces his younger husband to allow them to do as they please just for today. _Don't use your powers, though._

Yixing is happy that he can dinner with his cousins, since it's usually him and his appa ('cause his baba is working).

After lunch and Baekhyun's birthday cake, Minseok asks Han to take out the Pictionary (the game they bought when they were in America and they fell in love with). He thinks it would be fun to play a bit, and since it's about drawing, their kids can participate too.

But...

"I am fully convinced you never graduated kindergarten" Minseok says when he doesn't understand what Junmyeon is drawing.

"Not all of us are graduated architects with a Master degree in drawing anime, hyung~" Jongdae replays mockingly and Jongin laughs.

"What did you say, brat?!" Han looks at his husband with an amused smirk. _Oh, this is going to be fun._ Minseok points at Jongdae's glass and freezes it, this time it's Minseok and Junmyeon who laugh when Jongdae whines. Jongdae electrocutes his hyung.

"I was drinking that, twat!" Minseok starts to form ice cubes to throw them at Jongdae, but Jongin teleports him at the other side of the garden.

"Don't defend him, Nini!" Minseok yells. The husbands and the sons move away from the crossed fire, half amused, half worried that the brothers would kill themselves in their dumb games.

"Baba, are they going to be alright?" Baekhyun looks at his uncle Junmyeon spraying water to his uncle Dae and his uncle Nini, as his appa forms an ice shield to protect them from Jongdae's electricity.

"This happens everytime, huǒhuā" Jongin teleports their soaked asses behind Minseok and Junmyeon so Jongdae can give them a discharge. Jongdae emits a weird victory scream while they teleport to the other end of the garden again. Chanyeol and Zitao don't look afraid of their dad, but completely embarrassed "They're going to be fine"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah~  
> I'm happy this week! It's been a productive week of writing~ And the month it's finally over, thank God! Is the end of the month this awful for you too?  
> Anyway... I wanted to give a little bit more relevance to the family, and I thought that I never really talked about the brothers... I liked how it turned out~
> 
> I couldn't wait to post this~  
> Just wanted to share the love and happiness with y'all :D  
> Thanks to everyone reading and thanks for your continuous support! It means the world to me~
> 
> Let's read us soon, shall we?  
> Until then, take care  
> <3


	7. [ c a u s t i c ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Is the envelope of light rays reflected or refracted by a curved surface or object, or the projection of that envelope of rays on another surface. Therefore, in the adjacent image, the caustics can be the patches of light or their bright edges. These shapes often have cusp singularities._

Han vacuums Baekhyun's clothes before Minseok takes him to Jongin's flat.

"You're exaggerating, Han" Han clicks his tongue as Minseok rolls his eyes. Baekhyun stays perfectly still for his baba to finish his task. Deer protests from the couch because Han is using his telekinetic powers to hold him away from his son and avoid any fur on his clothes.

"Jongdae electrocuted me when Tao sneezed because one string of fur! I'm not risking my integrity again" Minseok rolls his eyes again but doesn't say anything else "Turn around and let me see if you are good to go, huǒhuā" Minseok knows his brothers, he grew with them. Jongdae and Junmyeon get stressed for everything, especially if it involves their sons. "Alright, you're ready. Be nice to your cousins"

"Yes baba"

"We'll see us later, Han" Minseok pecks Han's lips. They decided that it will be right it Baekhyun got used to displays of affection between them (and other members of their family).

"How the fuck did you forget to buy food, twat?" Sehun is fuming in Jongin's kitchen. He's hissing, given that his sons and his nephews are watching a movie in the living room.

"I thought Kyungsoo left food, stupid" Jongin hisses too.

"Why would he left food, uh?" Jongin opens his eyes widely and then he blushes.

"I mean-" Sehun folds his arms, waiting for the alibi of his best friend "We can go to the supermarket to buy some food-" Sehun frowns.

"Are you asking me to cook?" he checks his watch, it's almost lunch time. Yifan is going to end him if Yixing eats late, and he better doesn't think about what Jongdae is going to do to him (probably no more sex for a month!).

"You don't need to cook, you dumbass-"

"Oh. So, you're gonna cook, then" Jongin blushes again, looking away from his friend. After years of learning from Kyungsoo he doesn't even know how to make decent rice.

"We can buy nuggets from McDonald's-"

"It will take us twenty minutes to arrive there, you fucker-"

"I teleport, asshole!" they're both about to yell louder, when they hear the boys laughing. Sehun rubs his temples and then he sighs.

"Alright, it shouldn't take us more than ten minutes, right? They're watching a movie, what can happen to them?"

Baekhyun jumps from the couch and he falls over Chanyeol's arm, and suddenly he can't stop crying.

"It hurts! It hurts so much!" the other three kids stare at each other not knowing what to do. Yixing, being the eldest, thinks they need the help of Chanyeol's papa.

"Mr. Oh?! Mr. Oh?!" no answer. Chanyeol keeps crying, holding his arm. "I don't think they're here, Yeollie. Can you wait until they arrive?" Chanyeol tries to remain calm, but he keeps crying silently.

"His arm looks very red here, hyung" Baekhyun points at Chanyeol arm, near his wrist. "I'm sorry, Yeollie" Zitao is trying not to cry for his older brother, but he's getting stressed. Suddenly Chanyeol is frozen in time, but Baekhyun and Yixing aren't.

"Taozi!" Yixing scolds "You can't-"

"H-he's in pain, gege" Zitao is now crying.

"Do you think it's broken, hyung?" Baekhyun asks to Yixing, the eldest frowns.

"I- I don't... know?"

"When I arrived here, the doctors used x-rays to look at my body-" before they say something else, Baekhyun shoots and invisible light to Chanyeol's arm. The impression of Chanyeol's bone lingers on the carpet for a few seconds.

"It's broken" Yixing doesn't know what to do with a broken bone. His head hurts because Zitao's power affects him, Baekhyun can't see, but apart from that he seems collected. "We should wait for Mr. Oh-"

"No!" Baekhyun can't see yet, but he only thinks in how his parents will scold him if they knew he broke his cousin's arms. "Can you help him, hyung?" Yixing thinks of it. The bone it's not _that_ broken, anyway.

Yixing places his hand over Chanyeol's arm and a pink light flashes over his arm. He asks Zitao to stop controlling the time, to see if Chanyeol isn't in pain anymore.

When Sehun and Jongin arrive, Chanyeol has a bruise forming near his wrist, Zitao is taking a nap, Baekhyun still can't see and Yixing's nose is bleeding.

"What in the name of-!"

"Not a single word to any of our parents" Baekhyun mumbles while Sehun and Jongin rush to the couch to check them.

🌈

Minseok doesn't know what he did in his past life to deserve this. His only consolation is he isn't the one sick, because otherwise he would be abandoned to his luck because Han is terrified of germs.

"Appa..." behind him, he hears the hoarse voice of his son, also sick, walking barefoot in the kitchen.

"Hey, little light. What are you doing out of bed?" Baekhyun looks absolutely tired, with dark circles under his eyes (resembling the baby panda Jongdae has for son). They had a terrible night, both Han and Baekhyun couldn't sleep because they couldn't stop coughing.

"Baba can't shut up" Minseok sighs, because giggling is bad at these times. Han is such a whiny mess when he's sick, sneezing, coughing and sobbing as if he were going to die from the black death. Of course, with the size of Baekhyun's headache and how tired he is, he would want to get away from such an awful display.

"Oh, I know sweetie boy~ What do you say if I give you something to feel better and we watch a movie on the couch, uh?" Baekhyun nods slowly, feeling his existence shaking from the fever and coughing his lungs out of his body.

Minseok places Baekhyun on the couch and covers him with a blanket.

"Wait for me here, baby. I will check that baba isn't dying yet~" as to reaffirm Minseok, Han coughs awfully and then whines that he's about to die, and that he wants to see Minseok one last time to say goodbye. "Don't be fucking dramatic, Lu Han" Minseok takes him the cup of coffee and something for the pain.

"I'm dying..." he mumbles as he covers himself with the blankets of their bed.

"You just have a fucking flu-" Han whines one more time before Minseok closes the door behind him.

When he arrives to the kitchen with a tea for his baby, Deer is already over his son's lap and Baekhyun is falling asleep. Minseok asks him what movie does he want to see and Baekhyun replies with a weak "Cinderella".

When the movie is ready, Minseok helps Baek with his tea. Baekhyun falls asleep in the middle of the movie and Minseok finishes to watch it, stroking Baekhyun's hair and his husband whining in their room.

🌈

Minseok and Han have enough of Baekhyun and Deer breaking things in their house, so they inscribe him to a soccer team.

Baekhyun is enthusiastic about playing the favorite sport of his parents, but as the classes go by, the kid isn't sure anymore this is what he likes, but he keeps doing it to please them, since they seem to like this so much.

"Baek, baby. You need to kick the ball a little bit stronger-" Minseok comments when he's driving his son back from the practice. Baekhyun has his hazelnut hair entangled in a complete mess and his yellow and black uniform is covered in mud and grass.

"Yes, appa" Minseok wonders why he doesn't look as happy with the classes as before.

The day of Baekhyun's first game he receives a ball in the middle of his face so his nose bleeds, staining his shirt (that will be a pain in the ass to clean, thinks Han), he gets a bruise on his knee and when someone pushes him, he blinds him, so he gets a red card (which means he can't play the rest of the game).

He's trying to be brave, but he's failing miserably.

"I... I- wanna go..." Minseok and Han don't waste a single second before they abandon the stadium. They take Baekhyun to their car (Minseok taking him in his arms, and Baekhyun cries the whole walking).

"Huǒhuā?"

"Baba..." Minseok and Han look at each other "A-Appa..."

"Wanna roast some marshmallows and forget about it?" Han offers and Baekhyun nods.

When they're in their house, eating roasted marshmallows with Deer over Baekhyun's lap, Minseok talks.

"Don't you like soccer, sweetheart?"

"I-" Baekhyun is distressed again, he doesn't want to disappoint his parents.

"It's okay if you don't like it, huǒhuā. Even if your appa and I like it, it doesn't mean you have to like it too" Baekhyun still wonders if it's some kind of trick so they can punish him later.

"...I-" he breathes deeply "I don't like it, baba" Baekhyun's nose is still swollen and red, his eyes are filled with unshed tears, afraid for what his parents will say. They just give him a smile.

"It's ok, pumpkin. We'll keep looking for something you enjoy"

"Holy sh- Jesus Christ!" _he's_ _strong_. Han opens his eyes wide when the taller kid kicks his son in the protection of the face, unbalancing him _. "Kick him back, huǒhuā!"_ Han yells at his son in Mandarin. Baekhyun, a six years old boy kicks his opponent in his aikido class and he makes him fall.

"That's our son!" Minseok and Han are that kind of embarrassing parents that yell at his son encouraging him, but Baekhyun seems to love it, even if a bruise it's forming in his cheek already.

"Oh? So he doesn't mind bruises as long as there are no balls involved?" Han asks Minseok, and Baekhyun (who is listening to them) giggles.

🌈

Minseok hasn't had a migraine this awful since they adopted Baekhyun. He has been in his room for hours and his son is worried because he is alone and he doesn't know what to do.

"When will this end?" inside, Minseok is freezing everything hoping that the cold will stop the pain. His eyes are firmly closed because the light hurts him and the only thing he can think about is Bsekhyun and how he wishes to be able to take care of him properly. "Please, can it end?"

Han won't come back soon, he had to travel again. So, it's only him, Baekhyun and Deer (speaking of the devil, he hasn't seen him in a while).

Suddenly, every single light in the house disappears like they were completely swallowed by a black hole and Minseok finally feels some relief and he finally can sleep off his migraine. He tries to look at the digital clock but everything is dark, he guesses he still has time to cook dinner.

Outside the room, Baekhyun is glowing with all the lights he absorbed from the house, he just doesn't know what to do with them. He decides to play in his room, glowing like a Christmas three, with Deer following him around, attracted by the lights.

"I don't know where to put them" he explains to the cat, who wanders around the room disinterestedly. "Why do they hurt appa that much?" Baehyun knows he will get scolded when Minseok finds out he can't turn on any of the lights in the house because of his son (especially because Baekhyun doesn't control his powers yet and he gets really exhausted when he uses it).

The little boy starts to fall asleep thinking about how nice it would be to stop his appa's headaches forever. He yawns and rubs his eyes, ready to sleep. Deer finds a space by his side.

"I decided it, when I grow up, I'll be a doctor"

🌈

Baekhyun is a curious boy.

_Appa, why is the ocean blue? Because it reflects the color of the sky._

_And why is the sky blue? Because the light can separate in different colours, and the blue is the fastest of all of them._

Very curious.

 _And why sometimes is red or orange?_ _Because those colors travel slower._

_Baba, do you know why red is a warmer color than violet? It's because of how fast they travel and how much energy they have._

_Appa, why the clouds sometimes are gray and sometimes are white? It depends on how much water they are carrying._

_And why do they shine with the light? The drops of water in the work as a mirror and reflect the light._

_And why do they look iridescent? Where the h-heaven did you learn that word, Baekhyun?_

Absolutely curious.

_Baba, why the ice is white if the water is translucent?_

_Appa, why the fire has different colours and why their temperatures are different?_

_Baba, how does a typhoon forms?_

_Appa, where did a chicken evolve from?_

_Baba, how does a plane flight?_

_Appa, why does the weather change?_

The most curious of the family, indeed.

"Baba, why does the ground smell like that when it rains?" Han raises his eyes from the diagrams he's checking. Minseok looks at him with a cocked eyebrow.

"Your son asked you something, Han"

"I don't know what the question was, but without a doubt, my answer is: I don't know" without another word, Han takes out his phone to add something else to his already weird search history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah. I love this chapter! Baekhyun it's just so lovely ~~and a brat~~.
> 
> I just want to say that I experience a lot of migrains and it's indeed awful when you can't do anything because any source of light hurts.  
> I don't really know where the idea of Baek being a doctor came from, tbh. But it makes sense, right? He just can't stand people suffering (or dying).
> 
> I hope you're enjoying it <3  
> One more chapter to go, but not the end of this AU <3  
> Thanks everyone for reading, and stay safe until the next time ;)


	8. [ m e t a m e r i s m ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Metamerism is when two colors that are not actually the same (they reflect different wavelengths of light) appear the same under certain lighting conditions. Colors that match under some lights but not others are called metamers._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **#HappyChenDay**

Minseok is called for the fifth time to the principal of the school. He's in a bad mood because he had to postpone an important reunion with a client to check a budget (even when said client was very understanding, claiming that she had a girl around Baekhyun's age and she knows how hard it is to control them sometimes). And he just hopes this time it’s something real.

Baekhyun is already there, looking bored outside the office. Minseok sighs and raises an eyebrow when Baekhyun barely acknowledges his presence.

The door opens, and from the office comes his brother Jongdae, who looks just as tired as his son Zitao, also coming out from the office, looking exactly as bored as Baekhyun.

"I apology for making you lose your time, Mr. Kim" Jongdae sighs and Minseok refrains from laughing when his younger brother rolls his eyes. "But you must understand-"

"It's alright, really. But I can't keep coming here to solve every little issue that seems to be related to any of my sons. As much as Zitao is the only one who controls time, you must remember that his power it's a variation of teleportation" the principal looks genuinely sorry.

"I'm sorry Mr. Kim, we'll take this into consideration for further occasions" Minseok, Baekhyun and Zitao certainly notice the buzz of electricity coming from Jongdae's body from a fraction of a second.

"Of course" he smiles, politely "If you excuse me...  _ Go to your class now, Tao" _ Jongdae adds in Mandarin, and Zitao leaves. Minseok knows he's just being a brat. "See you around, hyung" Minseok sees that trace of doubt in Jongdae’s eyes, wondering if he should stay, waiting for his hyung to go out of the office.

The principal now looks at him and Baekhyun stands up to get in the office once again. Minseok walks behind his son.  _ Now what? _

When Han and Sehun arrive at Minseok and Han's house, bringing with them a very confused Chanyeol, Jongdae's and Minseok's eyes are still glowing in metallic white and crystal ice blue.

"Love?" Sehun asks tentatively when Zitao runs to his dad to hug him, scared of the display of power his baba and uncle are showing.

"Minnie?" Han does exactly the same, completely forgetting he's supposed to call him 'hyung' in front of Baekhyun, who's hiding behind him.

"-completely unacceptable" Jongdae mumbles and Minseok nods "How could they...?" Sehun walks to his husband, covered in a thin layer of insulating air, just to hug him.

"Baby, it's fine. You proved your point, you did right" just the cold touch of the younger is enough to calm Jongdae and make him cry. He hides his face in Sehun's chest, mumbling what sounds like  _ I'm sorry _ "It's ok baby boy, I'm proud of you, you defended our baby boy, you were brave" Minseok and Han should be ashamed of hearing Jongdae being babied by his younger husband Sehun, but they have their very own problems to solve now.

"Don't you dare to touch me" the eldest warns, decreasing the temperature of the room.

Baekhyun, knowing how his appa gets when he's in a bad mood, invites his cousins to play in his room. Chanyeol doesn't know what's going on, because  _ peach _ is crying and Baek explains him that his appa and his dad were called to the school for something neither Taozi nor him did. And they got mad (and kind of blew up the entire principal office circuits and left it covered with a thick layer of ice). 

"Baby..."

"No, Lu Han. Why can't any of you be mad at us?! Why aren't you mad at me?! We have to look up for a new school for Baekhyun!" Minseok is hysterical and Han worries he will get a migraine if he keeps like this. Behind him, his brother-in-law Sehun is still calming Jongdae.

"Min-" Han sounds serious.

“Why did you choose me?!” Han knew this question was coming, it always comes at some point. Minseok still doesn't know why Han wanted to marry him, to spend all his life with him, despite everything. Han hugs him tightly, not minding how cold his husband is.

“You know very well why, Minseok”  _ it's because you are you. _ It's his answer always.  _ You are just perfect for me, even with all your little imperfections. _ Minseok gives up to Han's embracing.

"We'll look for a new school for Tao and Baek, hyung" Sehun says to Minseok, and he finally looks at him with his eyes in their normal color. "I guess I'll be the one taking Chanyeol to his school now-"

"Is he going to attend the same school?!" Minseok wonders, scandalized.

"He already got used to it" Sehun shrugs his shoulders.

🌈

Han sighs when he flips the pancake that’s cooking over the pan. He watches the garden uninterested, as the smell of the breakfast covers the house.

"Was it always like this?" he wonders. Minseok isn't home, as it usually happens (usually one of them is in charge to take care of Baekhyun, the house and Deer when the other isn't around). Han never realized how much they travel until Baekhyun arrived to their lives.

It's all about routines. Baekhyun went to sleep at his usual hour yesterday. And, as per usual, his son and Deer ended up sleeping in his bed with him (not that Han minds at all, he never really enjoyed to sleep alone).

When he woke up, Baekhyun was still asleep and Deer was waiting for him to open the door of the room to do cats stuff. Han growled and stood up to allow the cat to get out, who didn't even dignified him with a look.

Baekhyun mumbled still half asleep that he wanted pancakes for breakfast.

"Huǒhuā, it's not good for your health to eat that much sugar, your appa is going to be mad-" Han couldn't resist the pout his son formed in his sleep and sighed.

That's what brings him here. He needs better control of his life  _ ('Control you say? You gave it up when you married me' _ Minseok once said). He takes the pancake out of the pan using his power, just for the sake of it. He says it's less messy this way.

Han hears Deer coming into the kitchen and he doesn't even have to turn around to know what's going on.

"You need to stop leaving dead bodies in my kitchen" he knows the white cat is waiting expectantly for Han to take his gift (what will be this time? A lizard? A bird?) so he can go back to sleep with his human (Han doesn't know when exactly Deer officially adopted Baek as  _ his,  _ he doesn't allow them to touch Minseok if he senses they're mad at him).

Deer, as Han predicts, doesn't move from his spot. Han turns around and sees an awful moth with his wings completely destroyed, still wiggling. He resists the urge to gag. Deer moves his tail.

"Thanks" Deer waits and Han sighs.  _ What did he do in his past life to deserve this? _ He takes a napkin to grab the moth and he puts it over the counter. He gives Deer a crooked smile, just then the cat leaves and Han can finally take the moth to the garden.

"Sorry, pal" he feels bad, but he doesn't have the stomach to kill the awful worm.  _ Iugh, no. _ Better than Mother Nature finishes the work for him, thanks.

After that, his morning is just as uneventful as always. He finishes the pancakes and he comes back to his room to wake up his son, only to find that the little brat is already awake and he's exploring all their drawers. Luckily, he stops him before he's able to reach  _ that special _ drawer.

"I'm too young to die from a heart attack" he regrets.

🌈

Minseok isn’t the one that drops Baekhyun the first day in his new school, even if he wants to. But Jongdae drops Zitao (Han told him), and Chanyeol too. Even when his younger brother swore he won’t step on that school once again, his husband Sehun couldn’t make it today (a problem with a design, for what Han told him).

He comes to pick him up after school finishes, though. He arrives a little late and he can’t find his brother to hand him his plastic containers. Baekhyun is one of the last children waiting for his parents in the classroom.

“Appa...” he says with teary eyes “I thought you had forgotten about me” Minseok’s heart skips a beat and he lifts Baekhyun.

“Oh, baby. I would never~” Baekhyun hugs him as he patiently waits for his dad to hear how was his first day of school from his teacher. Miss Hye is absolutely lovely, Minseok would have fallen for her if he weren’t gay. She’s a fire bender, and that alone soothes Baekhyun because it reminds him of his cousin Chanyeol.

Even when this school isn’t just focused on kids with superpowers, they’re surprisingly open to them.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, Baekkie~” Miss Hye says goodbye to him when they leave the classroom.

When they arrived at home, Han is already there.

“Here you are, my handsome husband and my cute son! How was your day?” Baekhyun hasn’t speak up yet. He’s still too silent for Minseok’s taste. Han realizes it and frowns “What happened?”

“I don’t know” Minseok answers sincerely, because Baekhyun doesn’t tell him.

“Hey, little spark?” Baekhyun looks at his baba, but doesn’t seem happy “What’s going on? Don’t you like your new school?” Baekhyun shakes his head “Do you want to tell baba and appa why?” Baekhyun remains silent for a few seconds but then he starts to talk.

“I miss my old friends, I miss Chanyeol-ah...” and he starts to cry “I want to go back to my old school, baba” Minseok feels absolutely terrible, he wants to swallow his pride and take his son back as soon as he can, but Han seems to read his mind (damn mental powers).

“Oh baby... I know you miss them, but you still can see them on weekends. I know you don’t understand why we changed you from that school, but appa and I only want what's the best for you” Baekhyun cries even more, but he nods. His skin glows in a very sad blue and Han sighs. He wishes he could take away the pain from his son, he had already suffered enough...

"I'll read you a story, would you like that?" Minseok offers, with a hoarse voice. When Han looks at him, he looks at his puffy red eyes, and he allows himself to cry too.  _ Damn, nobody ever told him taking care of Baekhyun would be an emotional rollercoaster. _

“Y-yes appa”

“Care if I join too?” even with his teary eyes, Minseok frowns.

“Fuck off, I didn’t offer it to you”

“But, hyung...” Han pouts. It sounds so off when Han calls his husband  _ hyung, _ those formalities long forgotten between the two of them. Baekhyun giggles and that distracts them.

“Can you read us Kongjwi and Patjwi?” Minseok sighs and Han grins. It looks weird with his eyes all swollen from unshed tears.

“My favorite”  _ asshole _ , Minseok mouths and Han laughs “Yes, but yours”

🌈

Chanyeol’s birthday is a great excuse to bring Baekhyun to Jongdae’s house to visit their cousins (even when he sees Zitao every day at school). Not only they are there, but the whole family is in the house celebrating that Chanyeol is now one year older.

Kyungsoo is helping Jongdae in the kitchen to bake a strawberry-free cake for the birthday-boy, while all the adults are chatting and drinking some beers (Sehun sure knows how to host a party, though it might have something to do with his dumb youngest brother who has always have a liking for the parties since college).

“Appa, can we play in Chanyeol’s room? Pretty please?” Minseok doesn’t think there’s a problem with that. He knows Chanyeol and Yixing are usually good kids and will help Baekhyun to behave as he is supposed to.

“Don’t break anything, alright?”

“Promise!” Baekhyun runs behind his cousins, dragging Zitao behind him, who is giggling about flames and pretty lights.  _ These kids. _

Life’s good recently, in spite of everything. Junmyeon is telling those awful jokes and Jongin and Sehun (who are already a little bit tipsy) are laughing awfully at them. Yifan looks truthfully sorry for his husband’s sense of humor, but he can’t help but laugh from time to time. Han laughs hideously too.

“Oh my god, Han. Stop” Minseok doesn’t complain that much of his laugh (he fell for that laugh, don’t let him fool you).

“Minnie~” Han whines, and it’s so surreal, because he never whines (it’s more a Jongdae thing), and it doesn’t suit him. Minseok takes away his beer.

“No more beer for you, sir. I’m not letting you drive us home” Han whines again.

“Nini can take us home~” just at that moment, Junmyeon sprays water at Sehun’s open mouth and Jongin chokes with his own drink. He’s completely red and Minseok cocks an eyebrow.  _ Really? _ Jongdae and Kyungsoo decide to appear just then.

“What happened to my living room?” Jongdae looks mortified, and Minseok worries for him. He feels responsible for not taking care of these idiots that claim to be his family and he promises himself he will help him to clean. “Hun? Are you ok?” he walks to his husband and helps him to wipe the water of his face (not without electrocuting his hyung before it, the vengeful brat).

"Hyungie~ There you are! Why haven't you kissed me yet?" everyone in the room freeze. Jongin must be a little more than tipsy then. Kyungsoo blushes madly, he’s so red. And Jongdae bursts in laughs.

“I knew it” everyone now look at Jongdae, including Jongin (who now realizes what he did and is as red as Kyungsoo) “Pay me gege, I won!” Jongdae is looking at Han and Minseok turns around to look at his husband.

“Did you bet with Jongdae about my brother, twat?!” Minseok is fuming. Now, besides from the water on the floor, there is snow.

“Uh... no?” Yifan laughs, before Junmyeon elbows him. The eldest is so busy trying not to kill his husband, he doesn’t realize Junmyeon, and even Yifan are handing Jongdae some money. “...ah, I was so close to win”

🌈

Baekhyun (against his parents' strict orders) has been practicing with his powers. Is on a day that he visits his cousin Yixing that he decides to show him how much better he is with them.

“Hyung. Do you want to see a trick?” Yixing knows he should say no. It works with Zitao, it works with Chanyeol. It never works with Baekhyun. No matter how hard he refuses, Baekhyun always ends up doing what he wants. Yixing thinks he’s too tired to argue with him today (an experimental treatment for his haemophilia left him like that), so he nods softly.

“Show me, Baek”

Baekhyun uses his fingers to throw small balls of lights in all sorts of colors, especially purple.

“Purple are Tao’s favorite” he explains and Yixing smiles. He relaxes when this seems harmless enough.

Yifan gets in the room to see how they’re doing and suddenly a purple light hits him and he can’t see.

“Oh oh” he hears Baekhyun, and Yixing’s scared gasp.

“Baba!” Yifan is scared too. Why can’t he see? He tries to remain calm, but it’s hard. He thinks in calling Junmyeon but he isn’t at home and his stupid phone is touch, so he can’t really see what he’s touching, right?

The next thing he feels is a warmth spreading over his eyes and then he can see again, only to realize (to his dismay) it was Yixing who make him see again, and his nose is bleeding once again.

“Baby, you shouldn’t use your powers-” he is worried for his son, but then he stares at Baekhyun frowning “And you, young man” the kid is shivering, but Yifan just doesn’t care “Just wait until your father comes here to pick you up” Baekhyun starts to cry.

Yixing wants to hug his cousin, but Yifan takes him out of the room to tend him.

“Apologize to your uncle, Baekhyun” this is the first time Baekhyun hears his baba truly angry and he takes a step backwards, scared. Han gives him a gentle push to make him walk.

“I’m sorry, uncle-” the face Yifan is giving to Baekhyun isn’t helping him at all, so he gulps and tries to be even more polite “Mr. Wu, I’m sorry” he sobs.

“It’s alright, kid. Just- don’t do it again” Yifan looks visibly relaxed now, with Junmyeon by his side.

Back at home, Han sighs, still stressed because of what happened. Baekhyun is still in his room, punished for the very first time, thinking about what he did.

"This is going to sound controversial, but I think that went well" Minseok tries to sound comforting.

“You think?” Han feels awful, no one ever told him being a parent was going to be this hard. Still, when Minseok kisses his lips, he thinks he wouldn’t change any single detail of his life. “Thanks, babe”

“Anytime”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally done!  
> Ah~ I thought this was the hardest story to write by far, IDK why Baek's story was this difficult~  
> Baek is a handful, isn't him?  
> But I hope you enjoyed it~
> 
> Thank you so much for keep reading this AU and keep giving love (your lovely comments and kudos are everything to me, seriously) <3  
> I'm not done with it yet, so as always, be patient with me~
> 
>  **Question time:** Do you have a special pairing do you want me to write for this AU? 
> 
> Take care of you very well while I'm not there watching you~  
> Read you really soon ;)


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